Dig Two Graves
by Bakuragirl7
Summary: Living in London, Anzu goes through the monotonous routine of life. Until one day, she finds herself face to face with a sinister shadow from her past. The choices she must make will not be easy.
1. Prologue

**Dig Two Graves**

Anzu x Bakura

Rating: **M**

**A/N:**  
Let's be honest, I don't own Yugioh!. If I did, the plot would be significantly different. Also, my first fanfic, so let me know how you feel, what you think, and any suggestions. Prologue is short, sweet and may or may not wet your appetite for the rest of the story. Thanks for reading ^^

Cheers everyone.

* * *

_Prologue_

Bakura whipped around at the sound. His crimson eyes fell on her and for a minute, Anzu thought she saw a hint of fear in his eyes. His face smoothed over almost immediately, leaving her wondering if she had imagined such emotion.

But Atem had seen it too.

"Being human has its differences," he said, a smirk sliding over his regal features, "For one, you can feel the touch of a woman."

Anzu flushed but Bakura did not look phased. He stood proudly, almost regally with the smile of a fox on his face. His body language spoke of immense potential energy that had built up over centuries. And yet, it also spoke of impressive control over his powers. Control that he had kept in check until he deemed the moment most appropriate. Anzu shivered with anticipation.

"Girl," he growled. Anzu narrowed her eyes at him. She could feel her body tense, as she moved out of the shadows.

"Thief."

"What are you doing here?" Bakura's slightly accented voice held a note of disbelief, and his eyes narrowed even further. Still, a ghost of a smirk never left his lips.

"Yes, Anzu, pray tell, what are you doing here?" drawled Atem, who had been leaning against the small table, head resting in hand, looking rather pleased with himself. He turned to her and Anzu melted. His golden skin was illuminated by the light and his blond hair, which had once been a crazy mess of spikes had since been cut into a more modern style. His eyes, a shade of stunning lavender, bored into her.

"I- I'm, well, I," She stumbled as the two Egyptians stared at her, one amused and the other furious. She had never really had a plan and that was evident, to her and the two men who stood before her. She tried desperately to think of something to say, preferably brave but really anything at this point would do.

"Nevermind Anzu," Yami soothed, "shall I show you out?" He glided towards her.

She looked beyond him and saw Bakura, seething yet not outwardly so. His red eyes were flashing a brilliant crimson, but his face was expressionless. A perfect mask. She knew better.

"Don't touch her." The words cut the air between them.

Yami stopped and a grin spread across his face, causing Anzu to flinch.

"Oh beautiful Anzu," Yami said, leaning in so his sweet breath fanned against her lips, "Why him?"

Anzu fought for her voice, "You don't know anything about me." It was a weak opposition but an opposition none the less.

"No?" He tilted his head, "Ah but let's see- Akefia, is she worth nothing to you?"

Bakura's face spread into a wider smirk. "Nothing is worth anything to me anymore, boy-king, except your blood on my hands."

"And you? Who will you choose?" Yami's face was inches from hers, but all she could see was Bakura's face, and the feel of his lips, rough against her neck.


	2. Chapter 1: Fire Burn

**A/N:**

This next chapter is important if you care about the plot. It's a tad slower than the others I will be writing, but hey, gotta give background information when it is needed.

Cheers everyone.

* * *

Chapter 1

_Three months before..._

Anzu drummed her fingers against the counter as she absentmindedly picked through mail.

_Junk. Junk. Junk. Bill. Shit. Junk. Junk. Junk.  
_

She sighed and a ran a hand through her hair, looking out of her apartment at the cold, damp, gray London morning.

Her china, blue eyes stared ahead hazily as she sipped coffee from her mug, wincing as the bitter flavor hit her tongue. Shaking her head, she put it down. _Needs milk._

She sidled over to the fridge, and opened it, humming a tuneless song, only to be met with rows of empty shelves. _Need to go to the supermarket. _

She snorted. Need_ to have money to go to said supermarket .  
_

She closed it with a sigh and shuffled through the small apartment, to the bathroom. Sliding her clothes off her body, she stared into the mirror at her tired face and slightly disheveled hair. Her blue eyes were the only thing alive about her and they smoldered behind their innocent appearance. She ran her hands down her face.

_What is that? _She groaned as her fingers found a small pimple on her cheek. _Lovely. _Her hands wondered to her wrist where she felt the tender, bruised flesh. _It won't happen again. _The smell of sweat and the gyrating of hips. The acrid taste of..._No! Put it to rest. Stop it Anzu. __  
_

She turned around and cranked the water to hot, listening to the sputtering of the faucet as it struggled to release the water.

Drawing the curtain back, she climbed into the shower and let the hard, hot water, smooth the ache out of her muscles.

It was moments like these that she would lose herself. Lose herself to her past memories. _Had it really been that long? _ Her hands slid up her body, rinsing the suds from her peach skin. London had been the place to go, at least temporarily. It was so different from where she was used to. She couldn't stomach buying a ticket to the United States; to live in the small, white house her parents had picked out for retirement.

She squirted copious amounts of shower jell into her loofah and softly rubbed it against her bruised body.

Instead, she had taken a low-paying secretarial job at a local hotel in London during the day. That lasted for a few months, until there was a "restructuring" of management. Anzu snorted at the terminology.

She faced the shower head and let the sheets of water rain down on her face.

And now, she worked at a job that required far fewer morals.

Had things worked out differently...

She sighed softly as her mind grazed across the memories of her friends: Joey's scruffy, Brooklyn accent, Honda's fatherly advice, Yugi's innocent laugh and cheerful demeanor and him..his lavender eyes, strong physique, golden locks and baritone voice. His lips, soft and inviting-

The vibration of her phone and systematic ringtone that followed, jolted her out of her thoughts. Stumbling out of the shower, she groped for a towel which she flung across her naked form. Checking the time on her wall, she realized she was, of course, late again.

"Hello?"

A sigh on the other end. "Again, Anzu?"

"I know! I know!" She said as she combed her fingers through her hair, hitting the speaker button, "just getting out of the shower."

"Just get here," the man's voice was accented and gruff.

Before Anzu could respond, she heard the loud click of a phone that was thrown down onto the receiver.

_Shit,shit shit._ She ran into her room, a toothbrush to her teeth as she threw on clothes- a tight-fitting shirt that showed the curvature of her breasts with a short, black skirt that hugged her hips. _Now, where are my shoes? _

_Cool it with a baboon's blood, _

_Then the charm is firm and good._

His fingers trailed over the smooth face of the cards and he petted each, reacquainting himself with life-long friends. If anyone had been in the small, cramped apartment that he had been calling his home for the past two weeks, they would have thought it looked rather boring in its normality. A kitchen, stocked with a few dishes, unused, and a white fridge with a few miscellaneous items in it. A small living room area with a spongy, blue couch and a TV that looked like it hadn't been turned on since the 90's.

The bookshelves were stocked with literature pertaining to Ancient Egypt. Cheap pamphlets of papyrus peppered the wall and tacky cartouches hung over doorways. He or she may have noticed the tarot cards that were spread across the table as if someone had angrily tossed them onto the hard surface.

The bedroom was strangely normal. The bed was made, clean and well kept. The room was filled with posters of bands, posters of women and small boxes of CD's. A typical teenagers room, except for a solid gold necklace and a piece of paper that had a simple address on it, laying next to it.

And the man was there. He stroked the cards, lovingly, looking at each one, chuckling as fuzzy memories began to inundate him. Sometimes he would whisper to himself in an ancient tongue, long lost to time and space.

The rap at the door, drew him from his thoughts and his eyes immediately narrowed. _Who would dare to ring? Hadn't he been extremely careful? _He slid from the bed in a serpentine manner, and walked towards the main door. He leaned towards the small peephole and looked out onto a grossly distorted view of a portly, man sweating and looking rather miffed.

"Ryou! It's me, Ralph. Open the door. Look, I need the rent. I know you are back from…wherever the hell you went this time. And- and Dolores down the hall, has seen you too. Don't think for a minute…."

The man recoiled as he listened impatiently to Ralph's voice. This little man tested his patience but he needed a place to live. The thought of not paying rent and getting kicked out would naturally arouse the curiosity of his presence amongst his pesky floor mates and besides, where else was he supposed to go?

"And besides, Ryou…I have the keys. Just, just try this again Ryou. I'll have you on the bloody street in a minute. Well I-I…just get me the rent Ryou. I don't want to have to do that," he pleaded.

The man inside listened, disinterested in what the landlord had to say. He ran a thumb against his fingernails, feeling the smoothness, not unlike the tops of his beloved cards.

Hearing no signs of life, Ralph stopped with an angry huff and turned around, muttering to himself. The man listened to the sound of his foot steps slowly disappear.

Running a hand through his locks, he pushed the black hoodie onto his head, shielding his handsome features. He strode back into the living room, where he listened to the slow tick of the clock.

He didn't care what kind of long term predicament this man might put him into. In fact, it was irrelevant. He would be gone in just a few more weeks. He walked to the window and watched the wind whip up dead leaves and beckon them into a dance.

_No matter. _This would all be settled soon. The agony of thousands of years and the bitter taste of defeat would finally be put to rest. What else _was_ he here for?

A violent smile spread across his face knowing that Ryou Bakura would certainly have cared about losing his childhood home, had he actually been present that day to see it threatened.

_Double, Double toil and trouble..._


	3. Chapter 2: Cigarette Smiles

**A/N:**

Hopefully it will all be explained in this chapter. At least by the end, you will have a good idea to who the mysterious man is. Anyways, thanks for the reviews and suggestions. I really appreciate all of them. You are all fabulous.

* * *

Chapter 2

Anzu flitted between the tables, taking drink orders and warding off the occasional grope of an older man. _Gross. _

The bar was awash with business men, carrying fat wallets brimming with notes and the occasional secondary school student who had nervously come to escape boyhood. Girls slunk around the stage area, trying to collect tips. The room was dark with cheap chandeliers dangling from the ceiling. Anzu no longer noticed the overwhelming stench of cigar smoke and bourbon. She dutifully carried a tray of glasses and dishes back into the kitchen, brushing by her friend Miranda.

"Oi, Anzu," The raven haired girl grabbed her arm. Anzu couldn't help the grin on her face.

"Andy, what's up?"

"Talked to Gus yet? He's in the back. He says he wants to talk to you."

Anzu's heart raced a bit. _What could he possibly want?_ She bit back her fear. "What about?"

Andy leaned in closer, her green eyes narrowed, "Dunno bout you. But he wants _me_ to dance more. He thinks it's going to be bloody Coyote Ugly in here. I may work here for my living now but that doesn't make me a slag."

Anzu's heart didn't plummet nearly as much as she may have thought. She had seen this coming for a long time.

She nodded, feeling the grin slip off her face as Andy gave her a reassuring pat. After placing the tray on a table in the kitchen, she slipped off into the back, closing the door behind her. The outside air made her skin prick with goosebumps.

"Anzu," Gus's soft British voice wafted over the air, and she turned to look at him sitting in a lawn chair, smoking a joint. The smell of marijuana was dizzying.

"Hello sir," she said as he offered her the rolled paper, "N-no thank you, sir." He shrugged his shoulders and inhaled deeply before exhaling with a cough.

"You must know what I want from you. Cooperation. Telling a client...a customer to 'fuck off' is not good manners, Anzu."

Her blood boiled, "But sir, he grabbed me-

"Let him," Gus croaked out after another drag of the joint, "Your job is to fulfill fantasies, you idiot. Do you want to end up on the street with the other tarts out there?"

"Sir, there is a bruise. I'm not a piece of meat."

Gus waved her away, "Cooperation, madam. Get."

She stomped back inside, swinging the door behind her. The beat was contagious and the blood whirling through her head made her cheeks flush with anger. Grabbing two shots off an outgoing tray, she downed them, sputtering as they slid down the back of her throat.

She stormed into the bar, almost plowing through Andy.

"Gosh are you okay?" Andy's voice was filled to the brim with concern but Anzu waved her away with a smile and a quick flick of her wrist.

She turned to the man in front of her. "And what can I get you darling?" She asked in a syrupy sweet voice. Inside, her soul crumpled in defeat.

"Rum and Coke." _Simple. Easy. Just get this night over with, like all the others. _She got his drink order and handed it to him with a wink and a swivel of her hips.

He grabbed her wrist, causing Anzu to wince, "Dance for me, love?" Anzu could feel the bile rising in her throat but a quick scan of the room brought her eyeball to eyeballs with Gus. Sighing inwardly, she plastered what she hoped was a seductive smile on her face.

"You know it, big Daddy." She snorted at the term but he didn't notice. The beat was fast now, causing Anzu's hips to move on her own accord. Her skirt hiked up a bit, leaving less and less for the imagination. The men stared at her soft, creamy thighs like wolves. Her blouse had come partially unbuttoned, exposing the tops of her soft mounds. She blocked out the howls and whistles from the men. Grabbing Andy's hand, she whirled her around the bar.

The raven haired girl's eyes were wide, "What are you doing?" she mouthed between twirls.

"Don't leave me," Anzu whispered as she drew Andy towards her face like they were about to kiss. Andy closed her eyes slightly and nodded.

Dancing for Anzu was a hypnotic drug. It was her safe place. Feeling the music made her limbs bend and her hips swivel on their own accord. She ran a hand through her sweaty locks as Andy panted next to her as they gyrated their hips against each other. The howls became louder as the men unbuttoned their shirts and threw back drinks.

One man, however, was less raucous than the others. He sat in the back of the bar at a small table with a glass of beer in hand. Tilting the glass back into his mouth, his eyes never left her form. He chuckled darkly.

_If only your prince could see you now, girl._

Not that he cared very much about the girl's career choice. She was just a piece of the puzzle that had been going on for nearly 3,000 years. But what if the boy-king had no idea? Surely he would have no idea about this...but she must know something of his location.

He growled at the thought and downed his glass.

"Sir," said a sultry voice to his right. He turned to see a pretty blonde woman with enormous breasts, "Sir, the upstairs portion of the club is closing for tonight." Noticing the pack of cigarettes on the table she added, "The smoking section and cigar bar downstairs will remain open for another hour, darling."

"Then I will move down there," he said in his dark, slightly accented voice, "Here is for tonight." He picked up a few notes and stuffed them into the hem of her skirt. His fingers grazed the supple flesh of her stomach as she giggled.

"Thank you, sir."

"My pleasure," his handsome features curled into a smirk, "Now off you go. I'm sure you are very _busy _tonight. So many men and so little time."

She stopped giggling and glared at him for a minute, before turning around with a huff. His smirk grew wider.

_Oh, sweet Anzu, we haven't even had our reunion just yet, now have we?_

Meanwhile, Anzu fought off the man who had climbed over the bar and had wrapped himself around her with a well-placed elbow jab to the stomach. The intoxicated man doubled over as Andy pulled her back.

Gus was there in an instant, "Sir, let me help you up there. Easy does it." He turned towards Anzu and hissed through his teeth, "Get out of here, before I change my mind of letting you stay on."

Andy was there in an instant, fists balled, "You big oaf-"

Anzu cut Andy off by grabbing her face, "No Andy," she whispered, "I need this job." Andy struggled from her grasp and shook her head, "Stupid, wanker." She threw a meaningful look at Gus, who was helping the man out of the bar.

Anzu picked up the glasses with a smile as she thought of Andy's loyalty. Her friend was almost _too _loyal sometimes. She hummed along with one of the songs playing in the background. It was during this song that Anzu felt a slightly nauseating feeling go through her. She rubbed her stomach for a second. _Weird. Maybe those shots were too much for me to handle. They were strong. _She glanced up to find Andy as the feeling became more intense. Her eyes focused in on a figure by the door. A familiar figure. She gasped in recognition, but he was gone and out the door before she could register his face.

"What's wrong Anzu? You look like you've seen a ghost?" Andy sidled up next to her, washing out a glass.

"N-nothing. Just someone I thought I knew for a second.

Andy barked a laugh, "Yeah anyone you know coming into here, ain't worth knowing." Anzu laughed and threw an arm around her friend, kissing her on the cheek.

"Touche," she said, "touche."

The two girls chatted for a bit, joking and giggling to each other. But Anzu couldn't quite shake that nauseous feeling nor the image that had been before her. Those eyes had watched her for a split second from the doorway. Dark eyes and the unmistakeable white, jagged layers of hair. She shivered. _There is no way. I'm just tired. It's amazing what a few drinks and exhaustion can do to a girl. _

She finished up cleaning, and grabbed her coat.

"Want a ride Anzu?"

"No thanks Andy," she said, "It's only a few stops on the tube to my flat."

She walked down the stairs and out of the cigar bar where a few hopeful men were lounging around. She strode angrily past Gus and walked outside. The cool air bit through her coat, causing her to pull the thin fabric tighter around her.

"Cigarette?," a man in a dark hoodie offered her. She looked to her right to see the fag hovering next to her face. He chuckled she she didn't take it, "Don't smoke? One fag won't kill you, at least not for a very long time."

His chuckle sent a warning shiver through her, but she reached for the cigarette anyway. A lighter appeared and he flicked it on with a quick movement of his thumb.

"Thanks."

He grunted. "So, what is a pretty girl like you doing in this part of town at night, at two in the morning, no less?"

His voice was low, seductive and yet so familiar. _It sounds like...No Anzu. Stop it! Your mind always gets the best of you._

"I don't see how that's any of your business," she snapped, pulling her short hair back with a clip.

His laugh was short and cruel.

She put the cigarette to her lips and pulled the smoke into her mouth, inhaling deeply. The fit of coughing that followed, caused the man to chuckle again.

She turned to look at him. His face was cast in shadow but she could see the glittering eyes and the canine smile.

"The more you do it, the better it becomes, until you are addicted to something that has the ability to kill you."

She snorted, "Aren't you afraid of death?"

His grin widened into a feral sort of image but didn't say anything. He reminded her of a ghost. One ghost in particular.

"You remind me of someone," she said, still feeling the alcohol in her blood.

"Oh?" his voice was heavy with amusement, "Who?"

"Someone I hoped never to see again. None of us hoped to see him again. But he's gone."

"Us?"

"My friends and I." Her heart ached when she thought of them, their faces flashing before her eyes.

"Where are your friends now?," had his voice grown into a whisper?

"Th-They aren't here."

"Oh, what a pity, little Anzu," his voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Huh?" She whipped around, "How do you know my name?"

His grin was horrible now, "You told me at the beginning of our conversation. Tsk, tsk. You don't remember? Well, now, maybe drinking on the job isn't the most wisest of choices, hmmm?"

He turned with a snicker and walked down the street, as she stood there confused, watching him disappear around a corner.

She took another drag of the cigarette, coughing less than she had before. Addicted to something that would kill you? Yes, she knew a lot about that. Her mind wandered through the conversation she had just had with the odd stranger, and the blood in her veins froze at her conclusions.

By the time she entered her apartment, she was sure of only two things- 1) She had seen that man before and 2) She had never given him her name.

* * *

duh, duh, duhhhhhhhhhhhh

Okay, hopefully this chapter cleared stuff up because I'm all about clarification. It was a bit slow to get into but now things will speed up. Foundation chapters are always the slowest. :P


	4. Chapter 3: Roses are red

**A/N: **

Thanks to all my viewers and reviewers. Tell me what you think. The good, the bad and the ugly. (I have a pretty thick skin) Things will speed up a bit from now on as I said in chapter 2. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.

* * *

__Chapter 3: Roses are red

_She remembers the beat of the music and the feeling of her flesh against his. His hands sliding up her waist, wrapping around, dipping dangerously close to her desire. She gasps and pulls him closer, raising her arms and wrapping one around his neck. His lips on her ear, whispering rough and dirty things. She moans softly, feeling his evident desire against her. He groans when she grinds herself into him, faster until both are sweating. She can feel the wetness between her own thighs. The music changes and the intense beat slows slightly. He whirls her around, drawing her back into his embrace. One strong arm, bringing her body closer while the other hand is underneath her chin, forcing her to look at him. His lavender eyes are clouded with lust and his mouth is parted invitingly. _

_ "Anzu." His breath fanned across her face. In response, she leans into him, tilting her head to reach his lips. _

_"ANZU!"_

His voice rang through the air like a warning, jolting her from her sleep. _Just a dream, just a dream. _

_ Was it a dream? That voice that jolted her awake. That wasn't Atem's. _Her chest clenched at the thought of his name. The voice- it sounded like- but it couldn't be. He was long gone; swallowed up by space and time. The gods wouldn't be so cruel.

She looked to the clock next to her. The neon green numbers blinked 3:06. She groaned and reached for her glass of water. Empty. _Typical. _She could taste the bitterness of the cigarette on her tongue. She wiped her mouth on the back of her arm and grabbed her glass. Rolling off the mattress, she shuffled to the kitchen sink.

Turning on the water, she filled her cup up and took two large gulps, rubbing her forehead.

_Come on Anzu. Get a hold of yourself. It's going to be fine. It was just a dream. _

A stupid dream at that. She checked her phone. _2 new messages. _Both from Andy asking her if she was okay. She smiled slightly at her friend's kindness.

It was the shuffling outside her door, that made her freeze and nearly drop her glass. _I'm just imagining things. _But her heart continued to pound through her chest and the same nauseous feeling she had felt before returned with a vengeance. She put the glass shakily down and turned to look at the door. The light from the outside hallway filtered through. She felt a bit relieved. _I have to stop being so jumpy. _

She putting her glass in the sink, when she heard it again. It was a slight shuffle, as if someone was deciding to enter or not.

That was it! She slowly opened the drawer below her and pulled out a bread knife. _Is this really all I have? _

She carefully tiptoed to the door and peered out the peephole. A stooped man came into view muttering to himself. His clothes were ratty and torn and his head was, white and freckled.

It was Mr. Frank; her next door neighbor who was a bit of a mental patient. Many nights he would roam up and down the hall, muttering to himself and having imaginary fights with unseen apparitions. Anzu found herself giggling. _Oh my God. I'm such a girl. _

She shook her head and walked back to the counter, leaving the knife on the top. She climbed back into bed, and shut her eyes, listening to Mr. Frank shuffle and mutter. It was almost comforting to know that there was someone awake at this hour with her. She sighed and turned over on her side to watch the rain cascade down the windows. The droplets raced against each other. Anzu thought they looked like tears and the feeling of loneliness hit her in the gut once again. She missed Domino High. But after the smoke had cleared, they were different people, held together by a cause. There were no more nightmares and no more monsters to fight. Their lives went on and the more they spent time together, the more they realized the emptiness that _he _had left. She angrily brushed the tears away. _No! Anzu. Sleep. _

The shuffling had stopped. Anzu found that a bit strange until she heard Mr. Frank's voice again conversing with another. The icy chill that ran through her caused her body to go rigid on the bed. _That familiar voice again._

Anzu listened for a minute until the dual voices became the one voice of Mr. Frank. She bolted to the door and threw it open. Mr. Frank jumped, and stared at her wide-eyed. Anzu watched his gaze fall to the floor to the object that was lying there. She gasped. Between her feet was a single red rose. She picked it up and twirled it between her fingers.

"Uh, er, good evening Mr. Frank," she began, "Did you…might you have seen the person who left this for me?"

Mr. Frank inched closer to her. His gaunt face was haunting and Anzu almost gagged when she caught a whiff of the odor emanating from his body.

"Hello, Ms. Anzu. It's such a pleasant evening is it not? Pleasant evening for a stroll. Please don't mind me, Ms. Anzu. I'll be going now." He turned away with a cheerful grin.

"Ah- wait! Mr. Frank! Please! Who- who gave this to me?"

"Perfect night for a stroll-"

Anzu interjected impatiently, "Yes, Mr. Frank, it is. Could you tell me who you were just talking to?"

Anzu knew what he was going to say even before he said it. Still the anticipation of his words caused the blood to drain from her face.

"Oh that fellow. Yes not a very nice chap, if you must know. He told me that that was a gift for you. You and him go way back, he said. And he made this gesture, Ms. Anzu."

He demonstrated the gesture and she watched as he put a finger to his lips in a 'shhh' motion. Her heart was pounding so loudly and she could feel the cold sweat on the back of her neck. The nauseous feeling almost made her double over.

"What did he look like?"

"Oh that, Ms. Anzu," he said sheepishly, stepping towards her so that the smell of unwashed body filled her nostrils, "Oh he was scary. Red eyes- color of rust. And the hair, it was-" He paused.

"Go on, Mr. Frank," Anzu whispered hoarsely.

"Well, it was white, Ms. Anzu."

The rose fell to the ground as Anzu lurched back in horror. That voice from her dream… _it wasn't a dream at all!_

_Double, Double. _

_ Toil and trouble. _


	5. Chapter 4: Cauldron Bubble

_It was suffocating. He sniffed, stretched and looked around. His senses were not fine tuned yet. He flexed his fingers. He was a miracle. It could not be explained away by science, which dismissed alternate dimensions as only feasible in scrawled, impossible equations. He was a living equation, or the answer to it. He really shouldn't be alive and yet here he was. The dull ache of life trickled through him and suffocated him. He wanted to scream or claw the long strands of hair from his head. His eyes flashed as he remembered to breathe and his lungs burned as oxygen poured into them. He had not taken in air with his own lungs for nearly 3,000 years._

The memories of that day pushed against the barriers of his mind, but he shut them out easily. He was a master of the intricacies of his own subconscious. Instead he entertained his mind with other thoughts.

A grin spread across his face as he ashed his cigarette. The rose had been a good idea. She had to know whom she was dealing with. Intimidation would be the way to shut up the little friendship brat once and for all.

He leaned back, tipping the chair onto two legs, and stared thoughtfully at the ceiling. _The little slut had some importance. Maybe another reading of the cards- _He looked down at his dueling deck- No. He had consulted the cards five times and the dreams he had, told him all he needed to know for now. Anzu was connected to _him. _Bakura's eyes narrowed and he leaned forward, slamming the chair back down onto the floor.

But why? _Why hadn't my dreams been about the boy-king? Been about his location and his death?_

He ran a hand through his unruly locks as a scowl appeared on his handsome face. His fist clenched automatically and then relaxed. There was no magic left and he couldn't control the shadows anymore than any human.

_Mortal. _

If he was alive and human, then the pharaoh must be as well. Why else would he- Akefia be alive? His crowning achievement and the very reason for his existence was inextricably tied to the boy-king's life.

He lit another cigarette and inhaled deeply, letting his hair shield his face. Maybe it was time to show that little friendship brat exactly who she was dealing with. After all, he mused, running one slender, pale finger down his cards, he did have one final, debilitating card to play.

Anzu couldn't sleep that night. She flipped on every light switch in her small apartment and sat huddled on her mattress with the TV on. Her heart raced. _How the hell is he alive? How the hell is he still here? And if he is still here, does that mean that Ate- NO._

She shook her head vigorously to clear her head. The slow pattering of the rain on her window comforted her. It was like an old friend- a familiar part of the landscape in London. How would she get to work? She _had _to work. Gus was on the verge of firing her. Anzu stared out at the gloomy dawn. The light was just beginning to break the hazy, black clouds. Anzu took it as a sign of hope.

_Get a grip, Anzu. There is no way I'm going to live my life in fear. If it really is Bakura, then so be it. I'll deal with it. _

She tried desperately to convince herself of this and succeeded enough, drifting off into a fitful sleep. She awoke with a start to the rare blue skies and sounds of traffic that was London in the early afternoon. Rubbing her blue eyes and adjusting her hair, she stood up, immediately noticing the red flower. Her heart sank and her body was wracked with shivers.

_Enough Anzu. Just throw the damn thing away. _

She grabbed the rose and yelped, dropping it instantly. _Thorns. _

She sucked her sore finger, glaring at the rose. _Let him come. _

Anzu quickly got dressed, grabbed her room key, and threw on a sweatshirt. She left the apartment. Her gait was confident, and her hair was pulled back from her face, displaying her hardened blue eyes. The spark that had burned there so many years before was evident. _Grocery store. _

The night came before Anzu wanted it to. The rose stayed on the floor where Anzu had dropped it. Meanwhile, the pretty brunette was dabbing blush on her cheeks, and lining her eyes with black eyeliner. Her baby blues popped. She smiled tiredly into the mirror as she swiped lipstick across her lips.

_Not half bad. _

She grabbed her purse and phone. One text message. Andy.

_Hey girl. Where are you? Gus is being a wanker again and we are short one woman. _

Anzu typed back a quick response and ducked out of the door. Her heart fluttered.

The club was filled with businessmen as per usual. The bar was stocked with expensive alcohol. As Anzu entered, Gus grabbed her arm.

"No funny business, missy. You are on thin ice. One wrong move and you'll be out on the bloody streets, am I clear?"

Anzu felt her nose crinkle in disgust, "Crystal." She pushed past him, tossing her coat to the side.

Andy was already behind the bar, pouring shots with a fake smile plastered onto her pretty face.

"Hey. Here," she thrust a bottle of tequila into her friend's hands, "Those." She pointed to a group of men in suits. They looked at her with half lidded eyes. Anzu sauntered over to them with the tequila.

"Hey handsome," she quipped to one, "Tequila? This one is on the house." The men cheered as Anzu got out three shot glasses.

"Have a drink with us, sexy?"

Anzu mustered up a seductive smile, "Of course, honey."

One of the more brash men grabbed her arm, causing Anzu to bite her tongue.

"What's your name?"

"Anzu," she cooed.

"Pretty name. Exotic. Come sit on my lap, sweetheart."

Anzu froze and looked up to see Gus nodding furiously. She could feel Andy tense next to her, disgusted by the mere suggestion. Anzu could feel herself harden as she leaned closer and whispered, "Spread your legs, hun."

She flounced out from behind the bar. Slipping onto the man's lap, she threw an arm around his neck as he handed her the shot.

"What should we toast to, love?" His breath was laced with alcohol and almost made Anzu gag.

"Happy endings," she said slyly. The man grinned, sliding a hand up her inner thigh, feeling the milky smoothness of it. Anzu gasped. Taking it as a signal to keep going, the other hand trailed down her neck, dipping dangerously close to her breasts. Sliding off his lap and detangling his limbs from hers, she took the shot glass with her, "Gentlemen, it's too early in the night for such shennagins."

The man looked disappointed, "Your shot?" He asked hopefully.

"Oh yes," she said acidly, "I'll be needing it." She turned on her heel, downed the shot with a wince and continued on into the kitchen, not missing the high five that Andy held up for her to slap.

She slumped against the kitchen counter.

"What's wrong Anzu?"

Anzu turned to see Tommy, the dishwasher looking at her with curious eyes. He was a sweet man, maybe in his 50's. Anzu got the distinct impression that if he could choose, Tommy would work anywhere else but here. Anzu couldn't help but hold a soft spot in her heart for him.

"Nothing Tommy. This isn't where I envisioned myself." She laughed, wiping her nose.

"A pretty and intelligent woman like yourself?" Tommy chuckled sadly, "You are quite out of your comfort zone."

Anzu nodded in agreement.

"But you are young still," he said, looking at her with that same dead look that was starting to creep into her own eyes.

She stared at him, understanding for a minute the hardships and struggles they both faced. He patted her on the arm and moved past her. Anzu sighed.

"ANZU!" Andy yelled from the doorway, "Come on! There are a couple of people out here asking for you."

Anzu rolled her eyes, "Coming," she grumbled. Andy gave her a sympathetic smile, holding the door for her.

Walking up the bar, yet refusing to look at the men directly, she asked almost sarcastically, "Yes, what can I get for you?"

"Whiskey."

Anzu nodded, pursing her lips, giving the first man his drink with a sultry smile.

"Next?"

"Scotch on the rocks."

She quickly fixed him his drink.

"And for you sir?" she didn't look up as she shuffled through the shelves for another glass.

"Surprise me." A voice crooned. A familiar voice. With those two words, Anzu's world came crashing down. So did the glass in her hand.

Looking up she saw the man of her nightmares, sitting there with crossed arms His lips were pulled back into a frightening smile.

She moved to clean up the glass, but a pale hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, twisting it. She gasped. He leaned in, almost romantically and whispered softly so only she could hear the syrupy, sweet undertones of his voice.

"Oh Anzu, how lovely to see you so alive and well. My, my, my what a little harlot you've become. Now usually I am not the one to judge, but look how low you have sunk my dear."

Anzu felt her body fill with a cold fear and a hot rage all at once.

"Get off Bakura," she hissed, pulling her hand out of her grasp. He leaned back in his seat.

"Bakura?" tsk tsk. Afraid not, dear child. You see, I'm my own man now."

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Before Bakura could respond, Andy was at her side, "What the bloody hell Anzu? Are you okay?"

"She's just fine," Bakura interjected somewhat forcefully, as the smile grew wider. He could have been the Cheshire cat.

Andy looked at her friend quizzically. Her green eyes narrowed in concern.

"I'm fine," Anzu masked her emotions, "I'm getting this gentleman his drink."

Andy's eyes slid to Bakura's who was still grinning and back to Anzu, "Okay," she mouthed, backing off.

"Shall we go somewhere more private to chat, Anzu?" He leaned in, "A backroom or a storage closet?"

"Fuck-"

"Isn't that your job?" he interrupted as she looked at him in fury, "My drink?"

He leaned back watching as she poured him a glass of Scotch with the bottle that was already sitting next to her.

"Now where do I put the dollar bills?" Bakura leered.

She ignored him and strode from the bar, as Bakura trailed behind her.

"Give me five," Anzu said to Gus as she passed him walking out the door.

As they stood outside, Anzu turned around to see the ivory-haired man, lighting a cigarette. His eyes flicked to hers and he took the fag from his mouth.

"Cigarette?" He whispered as his eyes danced.

Anzu's eyes widened in horror and she suppressed the urge to scream.


	6. Chapter 5: Alone

_**A/N:**_

_****_Hello everyone! Thanks for the reviews. I really appreciate it. Keep on reviewing and I will keep on writing them. I really like this next chapter. Writing Bakura's part is awesome ^^

* * *

Chapter 5

_The darkness whirled around the white haired spirit and his boy-king counter part. _

_"Oh Pharaoh," he chuckled, "Do you really think this is the end?" _

_The former king stood in front of the white-haired demon, unfazed. _

_"Bakura," he hissed, "You are finished for now and if you come back-_

_"It's not a matter of if, boy-king, it is only a matter of when."_

_The shadows crept up, claiming Bakura's body for their own. It looked agonizing but Bakura seemed not to notice the shadows dragging him down. His eyes grew into a bloody color and he flashed a vampire's grin. _

_"This game is over, thief, you've lost."_

_"A mere battle, my Pharaoh," said Bakura, voice dripping with poison. His body was snatched by the shadows, leaving a black mass where he once stood. _

"Y-you," Anzu said, pointing at the white haired male in horror, "But how?"

Bakura smiled around his cigarette and drew closer to her. She made a quick step back.

"Don't touch me!"

"I have a feeling that isn't what you have been telling men now a days, darling."

The spark behind Anzu's eyes was evident, "You don't know anything!"

Bakura blew the smoke from his nose and rolled his eyes, "I don't really have to know. I can just guess. And who cares about the truth anyway? It's perception that really makes a difference." He looked at her with a cocky grin.

"You are so full of-"

He made a quick movement and grabbed her arm, pulling her in closer, "Full of what, girl?"

Her eyes widened as she tried to wrench her arm from his grasp. He only held her tighter, watching her coldly as she struggled. His eyes became impossibly darker and his features became colder.

"Listen closely, girl because your pathetic life depends on it. You will do as I say. You will aid me and listen to _me_. There really isn't anything you can do about it."

"And what if I call the police?" Anzu retorted, "You are human after all. It's not like you can toss them into the shadow realm."

To her surprise, Bakura let out a harsh laugh like nails down a chalkboard.

"Oh Anzu, I forgot how feisty you are. Feisty but stupid nonetheless. I know your little secret. If you try to run, I am not above going to the authorities. How long have you been in this country without papers?"

Anzu's eyes became impossibly larger.

"Thought so," Bakura released her. He had played his card and he had played it well.

Anzu glared at him. The fury building up in her was like no other she had experienced. The flames licked at the inside of her belly.

She stalked past him and back into the club where Gus was waiting for her.

"Where have you been, Anzu? I thought I told you no breaks."

Before Anzu could respond, she felt a hand on her waist and she fought the urge to shake it off. Her stomach rolled.

"It's okay. She is with me and I am a paying customer," the ivory-haired man said silkily. He held up a wad of money, causing Gus to drool.

"Right, of course sir," he gestured to a table, "Please sit. Enjoy yourself. I'll have Anzu fix you another drink."

Bakura nodded and then turned to brunette next to him, "You heard him, girl. Where is my drink?" With that he leaned back in his chair to watch the her fix him another Scotch on the rocks.

Anzu scrubbed the bar furiously. She knew Bakura was waiting for her outside, she could sense it. She had looked up between filling drink orders, locking eyes with him more than once. His eyes would trail down her body in such a brazen way, that Anzu had a constant blush that peppered her cheeks. He devoured her with his eyes. Andy asked her what was wrong on multiple occasions but Anzu did not have the words to tell her. She wouldn't believe it anyway.

_Um yeah, that's an ancient Egyptian spirit that we locked away forever. Oh yeah, he's back now in human form and following me around. Pass the bourbon? _

Anzu sighed heavily. She would have to face this sooner or later.

"Anzu. That man is waiting downstairs for you. Who is he?"

Anzu looked up to see her tired friend standing in front of her. "Just an old acquaintance."

Andy nodded. She knew better than to press her friend. Anzu watched every swanky businessman leave the bar. She helped scrub the dishes and replaced the grungy pillows onto the faux leather couches that were spread across the small upstairs lounge area. Her mind was spinning, but her body felt numb and almost robotized.

Anzu finished up and left the club. She was the last one out, so she carefully locked the door and turned to see the former ghost staring at her.

"You are not coming home with me."

"Your tone," whispered Bakura, inching closer, "I don't like it."

Anzu shrugged her shoulders, "Deal with it. You forced your way into my life."

With that, she turned on her heel and walked ahead to the tube station. The icy wind picked up the leaves and swirled them around her feet as she walked to the station.

The subway was miserable. Anzu scooted into a seat, but before she could protest, Bakura was sitting next to her. He smelled like spices and dead roses. Her nose crinkled. Anzu surveyed the scene next to her out of the corner of her eyes. Bakura was lounging, staring ahead, arms crossed. He looked very relaxed and yet there was a heightened awareness about him. A smirk never seemed far away from his handsome features.

"Didn't anyone tell you that it's rude to stare, girl?"

Anzu felt her face flush, "I wasn't staring."

"Oh?" Bakura said, raising an eyebrow, "Like what you see?"

His lips were inches from her ear. To passengers on the subway, it must have seemed like a romantic moment between two lovers. Anzu shoved him away but Bakura grabbed her fingers and squeezed until Anzu let out a strangled yelp.

"Shhhh," he admonished.

"Why are you doing this?"

Anzu didn't look up but she could feel the sneer on his face, "Why not?"

He released her fingers and Anzu bit back another yelp as blood rushed back through them.

Two other people nearby, turned to glance at them. Bakura fixed them a cool look, and they quickly looked away, notably embarrassed.

"You haven't enlightened me to what your job is, little Anzu. Do you keep men warm at night? Do you tickle their fancies, my dear? He leered.

Anzu looked at the window, only to see his face reflected there. The cold eyes, as dead as they always had been. His lips pulled into a horrible smile. The smell of spice and death hung in the air- a musky scent that made Anzu's stomach turn.

"I'm not a whore, if that is what you are asking."

"Are you sure?" Bakura whispered, pulling her close so that his lips were pressed to her hair, "Shhh, don't fight it. We don't want a scene, brat. You were a dancer weren't you? Flexible, hmmm?"

"Bakura! Stop! People are staring."

"Shhhhh." His wicked voice drilled into her very soul. Her eyes shut and she could feel her heartbeat pulsating through her body.

The tube stopped and Anzu's eyes snapped open. She leapt up abruptly, shoving Bakura off of her and exited the tube. Bakura walked quickly until he was in step with her.

"What a feisty bitch you are."

"Save it thief."

His grin grew even more wicked.

"Where are you living?" Anzu brushed the hair from her face and tied it into a neat pony tail.

When she heard no immediate answer, she turned to the former thief who looked rather pleased with himself.

It dawned on her and truly hit her. A cold sweat broke out on the back of her neck and trickled down through her body.

"No, no, no, NO! You are not coming home with me. I'll scream," she warned shrilly, stopping in the middle of the station.

"Do it. I dare you." His eyes locked onto hers. Anzu stared into their bloody depths. There was something surprisingly human about them. Something she had never seen before. The coldness that had always been there was still evident but his eyes were fringed with a spark of life. Anzu couldn't tell if they really had an element of humanity to them, but they seemed (for lack of better words)- less corpse-like. Her lips parted and her breath quickened.

"Why are you here?" She whispered as passengers and people streamed past her on both sides, "I don't know where any of them are. It's just me. I'm alone."

She was pleading now. She could hear it in her voice. Anzu had never felt so weak or so helpless.

Bakura just cocked his head and stared down at her. _She must not know. _She had given him yet another card to play.


	7. Chapter 6: Night at the Museum

**A/N:**

Sorry guys. It's been a rough week. I've been so busy but as promised, here is the next chapter. It's longer than most of my others. Enjoy :) And please don't stop reviewing.

* * *

Chapter 6: Night at the Museum

Anzu was pretty sure at this point that grinning demon would not be leaving any time soon. Currently he was sitting in one of her plush chairs, staring around the room in disgust.

"You live in this dump, girl?" he growled.

"Yes. Me. **I **live here. Not you," Anzu snapped from the mattress where she lay staring at the ceiling. She felt exhausted; her limbs too weary to move.

Bakura snorted and took out a deck of cards, shuffling them.

"You still have those?," Anzu snickered as she felt poison seep into voice, "How silly. No one duels anymore."

Bakura raised an elegant silver eyebrow, "They aren't just for dueling, ignorant girl. These have magic built into them that you-

"Where did you pick those up from? The dollar store? Magic...ok," Anzu smirked.

Bakura did not react. He calmly went through the cards one by one, pausing to look at each. Anzu snuck a peek at the white haired menace. His face was relaxed, but his rust eyes were focused solely on the cards in front of him, whispering words she couldn't hear nor understand. His face was chiseled and angular, giving off the aura of some sort of canine. Maybe a fox or a wolf. His lips-

"How can you say you don't believe in magic," Anzu jumped and hastily looked away, "with all that is happened to you?"

Anzu was silent.

"And your little prince."

"He isn't my prince."

"Isn't he?" Bakura leered at her. She could feel her cheeks flush under his gaze. Bakura put the deck down and put his fingertips together watching for a reaction, "But then you moved here? He must not have cared much about you...

"I moved here because that's what happens when people grow up. He's dead. Dead. So what does it matter now? And why is that any of your business. We were never-

"In love?" sneered Bakura, "Love is such a fascinating emotion, don't you agree? Fascinating and weak; how it cripples the mind. In fact, your little pharaoh's undoing will be just that. That is the ultimate game."

"He's dead."

"Is he? My cards tell me otherwise," Bakura chuckled and gracefully rose from his seat. He glided towards her until he loomed over her bedside, his form casting an ugly shadow. _Dead roses. And cologne and dead roses. _

He leaned down next to her whispering, causing Anzu's skin to crawl with hate, "What a pretty little slut the Pharaoh chose to fuck."

"We never fucked!" Anzu regretted saying it almost instantly, "Did you get that from your dollar store cards? Better check your info!" She rolled over on her side and listened to him get up.

She watched his shadow, as he cocked his head to the side. He was quiet for a minute and then he gave a deep chuckle, "No, the cards don't need to show me that. Any man can see that your purity has been plucked."

Anzu fisted her sheets but said nothing as Bakura walked away, pulling his hoodie over his head.

"I'll see you tomorrow little Anzu. Don't think of running away. The consequences will be oh so dear." The door clicked shut.

Anzu turned into her pillow and screamed.

She awoke the next morning to cloudy skies and a forecast of rain. She struggled out of bed. Her mouth was dry and her hair was disheveled. Her mind was too tired to assess the threat of the sinister white haired man. She knew she couldn't run. He probably would find her anyway. Her stomach dropped.

_Is Atem alive?_

She dared to think it this time. Her heart fluttered a moment but she quieted it with a hand to her chest. She made her way into the bathroom and proceeded to slide of her clothes. She stood in front of the mirror, naked and shivering slightly. She took in the sight of her baggy eyes, swept back auburn hair and pale face. Her breasts were perky. A sprinkling of hair covered her womanhood. She stared at herself trying to remember how _he _made her feel so beautiful. His lips against her skin, sliding across her collarbone. His baritone voice reverberating against her neck. Her eyes slipped close, and she slowly slid a finger down to her slick folds. She played with them. Her desire grew as she became wetter. She found the tight, hard bud and slid a finger over it gasping at the sensation that wracked through her body. The other hand slid up to pinch a pink nipple, causing her to roll her head back in passion-

_I've got a pocket, got a pocket full of sunshine, _her ringtone blasted, startling her from her activities. She quickly ran to her mattress and picked it up flustered and breathing heavily.

Oh. Her landlord.

"Hello."

"Hey Anzu...you got a visitor down here. Name is...what's your name?...name is Ryou."

"What does he look like?" asked Anzu skeptically, "White hair, tall...just come down."

Anzu groaned, "Okay, be there in a second."

She quickly threw her hair in a pony tail and slipped on some clothes, running out of the door.

Bakura was standing against the wall outside of the building, smoking a cigarette. His white hair was pulled back into a low pony tail, and he was wearing a black trench coat to match. Anzu watched him for a minute as he exhaled the smoke, staring ahead. His gaze never wavered. It chilled Anzu to the bone.

"Hello Ryou," Anzu said sarcastically, "What are you doing here?"

"We are going to take a field trip," Bakura said, turning to look at her, "I need some information and you are coming with me."

"What if I don't want to?"

Bakura smirked and walked towards her and gripped her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. He leaned close to her almost as if to engage her plush lips in a chaste kiss. He was mere centimeters away from her mouth. He paused, and she could hear her own heartbeat. She felt like she was frozen, staring into his cold eyes.

"Don't you know me? Don't you know what I'm capable of, darling?" he gripped her chin harder. His voice was terrible. Nails on chalkboard, "I'm what ghost stories are made of. I'm what goes bump in the night."

"I'm not afraid of you," Anzu whispered shakily. _Dammit. Come on Anzu. _

"No?" Bakura quirked an eyebrow, sliding his other hand down her neck, "then why do I see fear in your eyes? Or is that something else?" He smirked.

Anzu wrenched herself from his grasp, "Fuck _off."_

Bakura glared, "Mind your manners girl." He brushed past her, leading the way.

"Wait," Anzu ran to catch up, "Where the fuck are we going?"

Bakura didn't answer. He didn't say a word to her (not even in the tube) and not until they were standing in front of a large building completed with sets of elegant columns.

"The British Museum?" Anzu looked from the towering building back to Bakura who was still refusing to look at her.

"And you brought me here why?"

"Dammit, girl. I now know why the Pharaoh willingly met his death. You don't know how to keep that mouth closed do you?" He growled.

"I'm not paying-"

Bakura rolled his eyes and took out a wad of bills.

Anzu stared at it with wide eyes, "Where did you get that?"

Bakura looked up and fixed her with a look that would have frozen hell.

Anzu immediately closed her mouth, angry that she did so. Bakura walked to the entrance with an angry and tired Anzu in tow. He was silent the whole time, weaving in and out of people streaming by. Anzu tried to follow him, but his brisk confident walk was a hard match for her shorter legs.

"Bakura, where are we going?"

And then it dawned on her, almost a second before they entered the large room. _He's Egyptian. _She looked at him. _Ancient Egyptian. _

Anzu quietly watched him survey the room, seeing past the people who had begun to trickle in. He looked over his shoulder, coldly at the brunette.

_Silly girl. _She didn't know her worth. She was the last piece of the puzzle. His last pawn. His last shot at the victory that had evaded him for so long.

"Well, are you waiting for an invitation?" he quirked a silver eyebrow, noticing the girl's blush.

"Shut up," she muttered under her breath, walking past him. The room was filled with scrolls, and jewelery. Large stone monuments and a giant sarcophagus were planted in the middle of the room. Anzu walked around in wonder. She could feel Bakura's eyes on her back. He seemed vaguely amused at her awe.

"You know," she said when she circled back to him, "I've never had the chance to go here."

Bakura merely rolled his eyes and stalked into the next room. This one was dimly lit. It had a small obelisk, some Ancient Egyptian toys and what a large papyrus.

Anzu watched as Bakura strode towards the darkest corner of the room and to a small exhibit where a single piece of papyrus paper lay under glass.

He leaned over and narrowed his eyes.

"Come here girl."

Anzu crept over for a better look. A worn piece of papyrus, faded but still beautifully decorated caught the light.

She quickly read through the English translation.

_Court Document. This piece of papyrus tells the story of one pharaoh's quest to the ends of the earth to rid the world of darkness. Commonly this God was known as Set, though there is no mention of this name in this ancient document. He battles this dark figure three times, on the third time he defeats this beast of darkness and perishes in order to free the world from this evil. Curiously, the Pharaoh's name has faded out or scratched out intentionally from the record. _

Anzu felt sick. She could feel Bakura's steady gaze, "Sounds like a familiar story, little Anzu. Do you believe in magic now?"

Anzu felt a cold sweat trickle through her body. She swiped the bangs from her face, trying desperately not to look at the white haired demon grinning at her.

"I find it very strange that humans nowadays don't believe in the magic of the past. They write it off as trivial or metaphorical. What if it was real though?" He chuckled, grabbing Anzu by the wrist. She gasped as he squeezed.

"Don't make a sound Anzu. Now you must know why I'm here. I need a favor," he squeezed harder, leaning so that his lips brushed her earlobe in what must have looked like an affectionate manner. His hair brushed against hers.

"3,000 years ago, there was a little battle," his lips brushed her ear as Anzu shivered, "Your beloved prince tragically lost his life, sealing the darkness away with a password so to say. His name. _Atem. _But that is only half of the story. Now, I will need to know the whereabouts of His Majesty. I have a little bit of catching up to do, if you must know. A friendly reunion between two kindred spirits."

"What's the other half of the story?"

Bakura dug his nails into her flesh, causing her to yelp. One man turned to look.

"Shhh," hissed Bakura, "Hush, slut."

"What do you want from me? Why did you bring me here?"

"Do I need a reason to do anything?" his voice was a snakes, slimy and slithering.

"You want to know where the pharaoh is," her voice was firm but her heart dropped.

"Say his name Anzu," Bakura inched closer so that he had pinned her against the exhibit. Anzu turned to see people hastily looking away from the couple.

"Get off Bakura."

"Say it."

"Fuck off."

Bakura dug his nails deeper into her arm, "His name?"

"Atem," she all but spit out. His name was rusty on her lips.

Bakura smirked, "Get used to saying it girl. I can't wait until you two will be able to meet in person again...maybe rekindle your romance? Tell him what you've been up to. But it can't be one-sided...I bet he's screwed many little whores since he's been back. Being human gives you quite an array of urges."

He pressed close to her. Anzu's head spun as his eyes locked with hers. She had never really consciously realized that Bakura was handsome in any sense. Her azure eyes trailed down his face. Mostly she was disgusted by him, and though she felt bile rise in her throat, she was able to realize that Bakura was actually pleasing to the eye. He was different from Ryou- more chiseled. His eyes were narrower, he was taller than Ryou and broader. Anzu felt the hard muscles of his stomach press against her. He had more to him than the skin and bones that made up fair Ryou.

She pushed him off, "You never answered why I'm here?"

"You can read ancient Egyptian?"

"What does that have to do with anything? Can't you read your own language?"

She stopped short, realizing that Bakura probably had forgotten his ancient tongue long ago and even if he had remembered the words, a poor thief would not have been literate in the ancient land of Kemet.

"I can't read that much," she grumbled.

"You know the symbols for the boy-king's name."

She shrugged.

"Don't make me hurt you, girl."

She glared at him, fists clenched. He laughed at the sight of her and then beckoned her to look at the sheet of papyrus next to the one they had just studied.

This one was even more faded than the last. The ends were fringed and the colors that had been used so long ago to paint the elaborate writing system had since become dull. She squinted. This one had barely anything written about it.

_A prophecy written about the fate of the world in response to the myth printed next to it. This is believed to be written in the Middle Kingdom and the pharaoh's name under which this papyrus was written is not mentioned. _

She squinted at the papyrus and her heart stopped at the conclusion.

_perra sefex newb. _

King of seven gold...it stopped there. Seven gold...items. _The puzzle. The scales. The rod. The eye. The key. The necklace...The ring. _

"I don't know what it says," Anzu said slowly.

"Liar," Bakura snarled, "What does it say?"

"I don't know that much," Anzu protested.

Bakura stared at her, and she could tell that he knew she was lying. His handsome features were twisted into an ugly look of scorn and hatred.

"No matter. You will tell me soon enough."

"Is that a threat?" she spoke up bravely.

Bakura chuckled, "More like an education."


	8. Chapter 7: Memories

_There's a light in you  
and it makes me never fear  
the darkness in me._

__"Once again, late," Gus was gruff as Anzu pushed her way through the heavy doors.

"Sorry, I'm just exhausted. I didn't-

"Do I look like I care? Do I Anzu?" Gus scolded.

Anzu let out a heavy exhale and ran up the stairs to the bar. Her black haired friend was waiting for her, leaning against the bar, almost for support. Anzu could tell something was wrong almost immediately.

"What's up?"

Andy looked away from her for a moment, chewing on her stubby nails.

"Gus wants me to be a dancer," she said flatly.

Anzu was still for a moment before she erupted, flying to her friend's side, "ANDY! What the hell?

"It's better money," she said hollowly. Anzu snapped her fingers in front of her friend's face, "Talk to him."

"I agreed to it. I need the money," Andy sighed.

Anzu stepped back from her friend. "It will be alright. It's only a few nights a week and I'll be here. I'll break any guys neck who tries to hurt you."

Anzu knew where that last line came from. _Joey. _He used to say that to her. _My brother. Best friend._

Andy chuckled and stepped forward, folding herself into the brunette's open arms.

"Thanks Anz," she whispered.

"OI, ANDY! ON STAGE OR IN THE CAGE!"

Andy rolled her eyes as Anzu planted a quick kiss on her cheek, "I'll be here." She watched her friend trudge slowly towards the stage.

Anzu went to work quickly, stocking the bar and counting glasses; wiping each with a clean cloth. Her mind was elsewhere. _Bakura. _They had been at the museum all day. He had been strangely quiet, only insulting her when she "spoke out of turn" or asked an "ignorant" question. There was something mysterious about him in the way he disappeared and reappeared in her life. _Where did he live? _

__"Anzu, you and Tara have the bar tonight. Play well with others," Gus broke her thoughts with his accented voice. She nodded and offered a friendly smile to the scared girl next to her.

"First night?"

The pretty blonde girl nodded. Anzu smiled and patted her arm reassuringly, "You'll be fine. It's only a couple of hours."

The night started off well. It was familiar. The sound of laughter and drinks splashing on the counter. The music was upbeat and catchy. Anzu caught herself numerous times moving her body to the music that coursed through her. Once in a while, she would steal a sympathetic glance at Andy who was on stage for most of the night, grinding and twirling with such expertise that Anzu thought she must have been a dancer. _I was a dancer. _She remembered her pink ballet slippers- a gift from her mother. The way they felt on her feet. _One_. _Two. Three. _The steps- bend and twirl and step, legs extended, on your toes. _One. Two. Three. Three. Two. One. _Land gracefully, toes pointed.

She smiled at the memories.

"Anzu, pep it up," Gus said from behind her, causing Anzu to jump, nearly breaking a martini glass.

Gus was standing there, smoking a cigarette _inside the bar, _and looking rather perturbed, "Really Anzu. Now, make them beg for it."

Anzu plastered on a sarcastic smile and did an exaggerated bow, before she began rolling her hips to the beat. The tempo increased. She felt sick, running a hand down her chest.

One man caught her eye, "Hello, pretty girl. Care for a chat? Whiskey please if you don't mind."

She winked at him, "I'll be right with you."

Gus nodded approvingly, "That's what I'm paying you to do."

The man handed her a tip with his drink. Anzu winked again in response, putting her lipsticked lips to the napkin coaster before laying it down in front if him.

Something broke inside of her, and yet she didn't feel the urge to cry. It had been coming for quite some time now. The urge to rebel and the willpower that had defined her for so long had faded. Her eyes were a dead ocean; no longer was there a spark of blue flame. She danced as she poured drinks, flirting openly but never giving too much away. There was still a shred of her dignity left.

Across the bar, Bakura watched her. A small smirk tugging at his lips. His eyes trailed down her body. A full bosom, soft peach skin and those lips. Bakura could think of a few places where he would want them. There was no hurt in looking and after all there was some pleasure in being human. Some pleasures he had been denied to for so long.

She was an attractive slut. One that he could break easily, with some well placed words. His handsome face shifted into a menacing grin. He called over the portly man from the corner of the room who strode over eagerly.

With a wicked chuckle, Bakura leaned in and whispered something in the man's ear.

Anzu was in the middle of a conversation with two men at the bar when Gus walked up to her.

"A man has asked for you," he said quietly, "That one in the corner. You two have a thing? You're his favorite, it seems."

Anzu's heart sank, but she calmly put her hair behind her ears and pulled her short red tank top up over the tops of her breasts, before Gus pulled it back down.

"Leave it."

She sighed and walked over to where Gus had pointed.

"Hello Bakura," she spit out, "It's lovely to see you here tonight. What can I get you?

He leaned back, arms at the back of his head, "Oh you are here to serve me? How wonderful."

"I'm not here to serve you anything, asshole." She turned on her heel, but the white haired man reached out and grabbed her. He had the reflexes of a cat.

"Not so fast, girl. It's not a drink I want." He released her and lit a cigarette.

"You have to go downstairs to do that."

He blew smoke in her face causing her to choke on the fumes.

She turned and stalked off but Bakura was out of his seat in a minute, following her.

"Get away fro-

Before she could finish he had pressed her against a wall. The smell of expensive cologne, spice and cigarettes filled her nostrils.

"B-Bakura."

The white haired man was inches from her lips, one hand wrapped around her wrist and the other around her neck. His weight was thrown against her, pinning her so that she couldn't move.

"Get off," she squeaked. Not very convincing.

"What a nasty little slut you are. I watched you. You like the attention you get from men," his knee slid dangerously up her thigh. She wanted to scream.

"Hush now little whore. You wouldn't want to lose a job. This is your job isn't it?"

Anzu was frozen. Her mind for an instant fought to resist but her willpower had been broken. Bakura was truly here to stay, and the more she fought, the more exhausted she would become.

_Don't give up. _The Pharaoh's voice was clear in her mind. She closed her eyes.

"What's wrong slut?" Bakura's nasty voice brought her back.

"You will never know where he is. Even if I find out, I'll never tell you. You will have to kill me."

Bakura's face grew darker and the smirk on his lips become colder.

"I can't kill you just yet," he growled, pressing himself harder against her. She whined as his mouth collided with her neck, biting roughly.

"You taste delicious, my dear," he said, pulling back only slightly so his hot breath fanned against her neck.

"Fuck off, Bakura," she gasped. His knee slid up further until it was firmly on her womanhood, kneading in slow, agonizing circles.

She clawed at his shoulders, trying to get away, but her conflicting emotions held her in place.

He attacked her neck again, nibbling until he reached her earlobe, sliding a wet tongue up against it.

"Such a little weak whore."

She gasped as he ground his knee harder into her, one had holding her neck in place, the other wrapped around her waist.

She was trapped. A whimpering mess of pathetic. He bit down on her collarbone, running a tongue across it.

"You are like a fine desert, my dear," he chuckled against her chest.

She summoned all her strength and with one push and a grunt, she pushed him off, running back to the bar.

"Anzu?," the new girl Tara asked her, "Your neck."

Anzu who was fuming with mixed emotions- one being anger, immediately touched her neck, "Is it bad?"

"Who did that to you?"

She turned around, half expecting to see the gnash of canines and the blood eyes. Bakura was no where to be found.

"No one. I'm going to take five."

Tara nodded.

Anzu grabbed her coat and walked out onto the street. It was cold and lightly raining. The lights of London twinkled before her. They looked warm and beckoning. Anzu let them fall. The tears she had been holding back for months. She cried silently for the life she had left behind and the friends who had forsaken her. She cried for the loss of hope and the loss of a dream.

She felt his presence without even having to look up.

"You," she whispered angrily.

"Me," came the simple reply.

"Why did you do this to me? Why all the torture?"

A chuckle in reply.

"YOU BASTARD!" she turned around, fist clenched. He caught her hand before it hit his face, and held it staring down at her.

"You ruined MY LIFE."

"There wasn't anything left to ruin," he said with a smirk, "Your life is a shit hole. Your friends are gone- dead to you. Your love life is in shambles. You are alone and that is what we have in common."

"We have nothing in common."

Her voice was a dull, former shell of what it used to be. He looked at her carefully. Her cheeks were dusted pink and her eyes were haunted and tired. Vulnerable. _Perfect. Easy to break. _

__"Just stay out of my life Bakura."

"You sound like someone very familiar to me."

She looked up, "Who?"

"Ryou," he said through his grinning teeth.

"How did he ever put up with you? You tortured him."

"I protected him."

"So you cared about him?"

"Of course not," Bakura snorted, "He was my light; I had to protect him. He was worthless and pathetic but he was still half of me and my only means of transportation."

"You stood up for him that time. You took the blow that would have been meant for him...that Yami delivered in that duel with Malik."

"I can't have my body die. Not without my goals attained."

Anzu tsked, "You know being human comes with a set of emotions or have you forgotten what being human was like?"

Bakura didn't answer. She stole a glance. His face was passive as he inhaled the smoke, almost as if he hadn't heard her. Even when he was tainted with Zorc, Bakura was too quirkly human, Anzu decided. He wasn't all monster and yet he wasn't all man.

Anzu decided to ask the question that had kept her wondering for so long. It was a loaded question and one she was frankly scared to ask. She felt her breath catch as she opened her mouth...

"What happened to you back then? In the Memory Arc?"

Bakura stiffened.

"Do you not remember?"

The look that washed over Bakura's face astonished Anzu. It was one of mixed emotion and frustration. Anzu wasn't even aware Bakura had more to his personality than sarcasm and evil.

"Never. Ask. Questions," his voice was ragged, "Get inside to your job, slut."

Anzu grumbled, but turned inside, half miffed and half curious. _What had happened to him? What had Atem done?_


	9. Chapter 8: Beauty and the Beast

**A/N:**

****Next chapter (the one after this one to clarify) will contain lemony goodness. Finally. Sorry. Plot first ^^

* * *

Chapter 8: Beauty and the Beast

He ran a hand through his locks and sighed. _Emotions. _He sneered. They were for weak, pathetic fools. He was a monster; the darkness. He couldn't be changed. _Could he?_

__The cigarette smoke hung in the air between himself and the truth. It was such a pathetic story- the beast becomes tamed by the human. _Mortal. He was mortal...is mortal. _He took another drag, frowning as the cigarette crackled in the still air. His handsome face contorted into a grimace. Emotions were something that came with the territory. It was control. _He had control. _

And the feeling that burned in his loins. He scoffed; disgusted at his weakness. When Zorc infiltrated his being, he never had to feel the intensity of emotions. He felt hate and bitterness. He felt frustration and disappointment. But Zorc prevented him from feeling anything else. _How else had Zorc survived? _

__He fed off of hatred and revenge- the very substance of his own soul. He had been the perfect feeding grounds for the perfect monster. Zorc was gone now. Ryou was gone now. _Where? _

__The Pharaoh was alive. Bakura could feel him through his ancient bones. He could nearly smell the Pharaoh on _her. Love. _Bakura chuckled at the idea of it! The Pharaoh had obviously done a number on her. _Made him want her. Touched her. Fucked her...left her. _

__Bakura's face changed as he thought. A biting feeling crawled under his skin. What was this emotion? This emotion that crawled into his belly and sat there like a heavy meal, stroking the fires of anger and indignation. _Envy? _

__Envious of the Pharaoh? Bakura growled in disdain, ashing the cigarette, before swiftly rising from his seat and walking to the window. _Blue eyes, soft skin and that hair that fell across her face. Her breath as he touched her. _There was no mistaking her passion hidden in fear and anger. Passion nonetheless.

His lips twitched into a sinister smile. _Break her. Break her. Break her. _That would do the trick.

Anzu paced, back and forth across her apartment. Her mind was full. She hadn't slept that night, again. The feeling of his hands sliding across her neck and his smell of spice enticed her. She had never given Bakura's appearance much thought. He was handsome with his dark eyes and unusual hair color. His skin, not as pale as she remembered, stretched over taut muscles.

His scowl and his smirk. She shivered at the thought of them. He captivated her and disgusted her. He was so different from Atem. Atem had been strong, proud, regal, mysterious, dark but kind. He was wise beyond his years, competitive and loyal. _Fiercely loyal. _He was the ultimate hero figure.

__Bakura was sly, witty and conniving. He was dark and dangerous. Where Atem was tender, Bakura was rough and gruff. Where Atem was kind, Bakura was sarcastic and biting. Atem was proud while Bakura was arrogant. Bakura was sharp and thought fast. His temper was unrivaled and his mercy was limited. Atem walked proudly in the light but Bakura strutted through the darkness and slipped into shadows. Bakura was a mystery that Anzu had never dared decipher.

Bakura played his cards carefully- one of the only characters that had ever outsmarted Atem- even if only for a moment. Anzu sighed, taking a sip of water. She had to get him out of her head.

_I've got a pocket, got a pocket full of sunshine._

__Anzu groaned in the direction of her phone.

_Later in the afternoon_

__"COME ON ANZU!" Andy cajoled, "Pick out something. It's our night off for bloody sakes."

Anzu looked thoughtfully over a pair of jeans. Andy rolled her pretty, green eyes, sucking more soda out of a straw.

"How about a dress Anzy? Jesus Christ." Andy ran her hands through the racks, searching for something more tight-fitting.

"Ah," Andy said with a smile, "Here." She tossed a short, tight, black dress to Anzu who looked at her ruefully.

"Oh, shut up. It's a little black dress. Fucking put it on."

Anzu hid a smile and ducked into the changing room, sliding the dress onto her naked form. She whistled. The dress hugged every curve in her body; the sweet heart neckline emphasized her breasts. She blushed as she stared and twirled in a circle.

"What's taking so long Anzy?"

Anzu sighed heavily and opened the door, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Oh fuck yeah, Anzu!," Andy squealed in delight, "SO fucking fit. You are buying that. Jesus, go show that up front. I think they would give it to ya for free, darling."

Anzu blushed and waved her hand at Andy. "Oh be quiet. I'll buy it."

Andy grinned, "Get out of it quick. I'm bloody starving."

Anzu rolled her eyes and shut the door as she slipped out of her dress, tilting her head back to expose the bruise that sat above her collarbone. She stopped short and stared. It was an ugly purple and red color. She pressed two fingers against it, wincing. _Had that really happened? _She shivered again as she felt his mouth close over her neck, licking up to her earlobe. His hot breath and his knee pressing against her in slow, agonizing circles. Anzu bit her lip.

"ANZU. Hungry. Let's go."

Anzu jumped a bit, shaking her head, "Coming!" She scrambled out of the dressing room and paid for the dress.

Anzu layed on Andy's bed, twirling her hair between her fingers as she watched her friend rummage through her closet.

"You look great in anything Andy," she sighed.

"Bollocks. I look like a fat cow."

Anzu stifled a laugh at the absurdity of that statement. Andy was thin- almost too thin. She was stunning with her pale skin and dark hair. Anzu was slightly jealous of how effortlessly beautiful her friend always seemed to look.

"Get into your dress, idiot."

Anzu rolled off the bed, "Fineee."

She peeled off her clothes and slipped into the tight-fitting dress.

"Don't forget makeup, Anzy. You have fucking beautiful eyes."

Anzu blushed at the statement as she lined her eyes and slid a tube of lipstick across her lips. She untied her hair, letting it fall across her shoulders in soft waves.

"You look good," Andy said approvingly, as she smacked her lipsticked lips.

Anzu blushed, "Shut up."

The club was dark and it smelled like cheap alcohol and sex. Anzu twisted around as Andy grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the depths of the room.

"Come on," she yelled. The bodies bumped and ground around her. She stumbled against Andy who, pulled her close, "Dance with me Anzu."

"I need a drink," giggled the brunette. Andy snapped her fingers and disappeared for a minute, returning with two drinks.

"What is this?" Anzu pointed to the blue mixture. Her friend shrugged her shoulders, downing the drink. Anzu followed suit, sputtering. Andy laughed in response and twirled her friend around to the beat.

Four drinks later, the pretty brunette was grinding against her best friend, laughing and singing to the music. She felt hands around her waist and fell against them with a giggle.

"Hey beautiful," a mans voice whispered in her ear. Anzu giggled again.

"He's cute," mouthed Andy, gesturing to the blonde man behind her. Anzu made a playful swipe at her friend.

She twisted her body into the strangers, feeling his desire grind against her. She slipped a hand around his neck, pushing herself against him harder as he held her in place, desperately pressing against her. She gasped, eyes half lidded. She could hear Andy's cat calls. Her eyes were glazed as his hand slid up her waist, flitting against her nipples. She groaned and closed her eyes and then opened them.

_His face. She could remember it. Eyes. Red. White hair. Mouth curled into an unforgiving smile. Cold hands holding her against the grime-ridden wall._

Those eyes. _Were they in her imagination? No. _

__She blinked and stopped. No. Those eyes. They were there. Across the room; a flash of white. His hair and eyes. Bakura stood in the corner of the room, arms crossed. She could see the disdain on his face; feel the anger from across her room. She gasped in realization.

"Bakura," she whispered.

"What, pretty girl?" Anzu pushed away from the man behind her; past Andy who was writhing against a dark haired man.

She pushed through the crowd, drawing closer to the white haired demon. Before she could reach him, a man ducked into her view, "Hey, can I buy you a drink?"

Anzu shook her head, peering over his shoulder. The space previously occupied by Bakura was gone, "Looking for someone?"

Anzu looked back at the man and smiled, "No, no. Just my...my...someone I know."

"Boyfriend?"

"What? N-No," Anzu shook her abruptly.

She pushed him out of the way and stumbled to the wall, leaning against it for support. She pushed her bangs from her face and closed her eyes. _Fuck. I imagined him. Why him? _

__She looked into the crowd for Andy, searching for her black haired counterpart. _Where is she? _

__But it wasn't Andy she saw. That flash of white. Bakura. There he was. It shocked her. There he was in the back of the room, speaking to a young girl. She barely looked eighteen. A pang of emotion went through her. She peered closer, stumbling a bit.

Bakura didn't seem to be interested in what the pretty little blonde was saying. His eyes never left hers; a small smirk crept across his lips. Anzu felt hot. She stared back as the world spun around her. It was only her and him. Her tormentor. Her mystery man. His tight black shirt showed his taught muscles; his biceps were flexed like a cats- ready to spring.

She let out a ragged breath. _Not Ryou. So different from Ryou. _

Bakura ran a tongue over his teeth, before turning back to the girl who giggled and leaned closer to him. The pang of emotion in Anzu's belly burned stronger. Bakura's wicked smile grew wider as he nodded at something she said. His eyes flicked to Anzu's once more before swooping down in one swift movement to capture the girl's lips in what looked like a searing, rough kiss. Anzu's eyes narrowed. She turned on her heel, nearly losing her balance. She walked to the front of the club, nearly knocking into a very distressed looking Andy.

"Whoa, Anzu! Where are you going? I've been trying to catch up to you. Me and uh..."

"Simon," the man behind her said.

Andy giggled, "Right, Simon and I are going to uh."

Anzu plastered a smile to her face, "Got it. Yeah me too. I'm going to take a cab or something."

"You sure?"

Anzu nodded, slapping a kiss to her friend's cheek before walking out the door. She should have felt the blistering cold weather had hot, thick blood not been coursing through her veins. _Who did he think he was? Not that I care. He's an asshole. He always has been. _

__She walked down the sidewalk, arms crossed. Her mind wandered.

_His blonde hair and his smoldering eyes. His golden skin and his lips that were smooth. The Memory Arc. The last day when he stood, looking at her, almost as if to apologize but he never did. He couldn't. He couldn't apologize for who he was. He couldn't say he was sorry. He left her, without barley saying goodbye. He left the world. Yugi. _

__Yugi.

_He had changed so significantly after that. At first it was small- one less smile. One less encouraging word. He died without his other half. His soul died. Ryou...Ryou wasn't the same either. She couldn't understand. Bakura tortured him. But maybe when you lose half your soul..._

Footsteps behind her. _Bakura tortured her and broke her. He didn't have power but he had the power of words...icy stares. He had the power to break her. He stood there and kissed that slut. Made her want him. He wanted her. _

__The footsteps grew closer.

_Lips sliding against her neck. Whispers in her ear. The knee on her crotch, grinding. _

__"Anzu," a harsh whisper and she felt herself pulled towards a warm body.

"Get off Bakura."

He held on to her tighter, "Jealous, slut? What, with all those men touching you?"

"I'm not fucking jealous." She smelled cigarettes on his breath.

"I saw you. I saw you grinding against him like a little slut." His fingers dug painfully into her side, "What do you want? This?" His lips connected with her neck. She gasped and leaned back against him as he chuckled deeply.

_No. Anzu! _The Pharaoh's voice. Her eyes snapped open.

"Get off Bakura," she struggled but he held her in place.

"Anzu...you want this. Don't deny it. But I'll let you come to your own conclusions." He released her. She fell to the ground and immediately curled up on the ground in defense.

"Get up Anzu." Bakura stood over her. She expected him to laugh at her or kick her. Her breath came out in short bursts.

"I said, GET UP."

She wanted to drift off. She was so tired and so intoxicated. So exhausted and weak. She could sleep here for the night.

Bakura stared at her before looking left then right. With a sigh he leaned towards her. _Let her die. _He right himself and stepped away from the body. _What is this? These conflicting emotions. _

__With a grumble, he stooped again, picking her up nearly effortlessly. He marveled at how light she was.

"You cost me a fuck."

She didn't reply. He growled. He needed her alive in order to fulfill his plan. At least that's what he told himself.


	10. Chapter 9: The Prophecy

**A/N:**

****Not a full lemon but this has a lot of sexual encounters in it and now the plot twists again

* * *

The cigarette smoke hung in the air and Bakura frowned through the smoke, waving a hand, cutting through the curling wisps. His eyes narrowed as his gaze fell upon her sleeping form.

He inhaled thoughtfully, running a hand across his chin, prickly with stubble. _Now what? _He needed her. He needed her for her ability to read the ancient tongue and her connection with the boy-king.

He absentmindedly turned over the top card on the deck. _The lady of faith. _

"Ryou." He whispered the name. His host. His _former_ host. Where was he now? Ryou was like a hazy memory to him. He had never really truly hated the boy- not in the way he hated Atem at least. He felt almost nothing for him, except a spark of recognition. At one point he had been Ryou. So long ago.

_So long ago. _

His eyes flicked to Anzu where she stirred.

_I need that document. I need that fortune...the future. She must of had it! She must know of it. _

__He looked to her laptop, blinking in the darkness. He grinned.._stupid girl. _

__Almost as if she heard him, her eyes blinked open. Instead of a caustic remark, she smiled at him, tiredly.

"Bakura," she cooed.

Bakura froze but then relaxed his body like a cat stretching, "Yes, girl?" His voice was velvet. He folded his hands in front of him and looked over the top.

"What do you...do you want?"

She looked like she might vomit.

"Anzu," he said softly, "Did you ever see a document? A copy of a prophecy?"

Anzu giggled, "No. Why? Is it about Atem?"

The hope in her voice made a bubble of rage rise in his throat but he forced it down.

"No." His voice was harsher and he rose from his seat, nearing her.

Anzu felt as if she was in a dream. Bakura was hovering over her, but it wasn't real. It wasn't real. Was it real? His shirt hung off his frame, unbuttoned. She gazed at his chest. He was skinny like Ryou but the muscles rippled across his skin. She wanted to touch. It was just a dream, so it was permitted. She would never dare touch him in real life.

"Bakura, what happened to you? In the Memory Arc?"

Lips on her ear, "You don't want to know."

"Zorc?" Her breath caught in her throat as his breath tickled her ear. A dream. A wonderful dream.

The dream Bakura paused and she could feel the tension swirling around him.

"Zorc was just a manifestation. He was me. I was him. I was Zorc."

"And now?"

His lips were on his neck. The smell of him and she could feel his stubble against her skin.

"Are you scared, Anzu?" His voice was silk.

"A little," she admitted. Dream Bakura chuckled and then almost immediately he was on top of her, leaning down so that his mouth was only centimeters from hers. His hair hung down over his features. She peered through the dim light at his face. A faint white line ran across his cheek. She ran her finger down it.

"What is that?"

He turned and nibbled her finger, biting sharply before soothing it with a lick. He flashed his canines in a grin. She gasped at the sensation.

"You ask too many questions, girl."

He reached down running a hand up her creamy thigh, rubbing circles before running a finger against her womanhood. The panties were wet with her juices. She gasped and parted her legs.

"Naughty girl."

She arched into him. Dream Bakura chuckled again before leaning down and nipping sharply at her collarbone and the once again he bit down, sucking. She wanted to scream. Her body spasmed.

"S-Stop it."

"To remember me by." He pressed himself against her and she could feel his desire.

"B-Bakura."

"Tell me where the document is, Anzu. Tell me." But her head was full and thick with lust.

He grabbed her wrists and twisted them above her head, "Tell me." Rough tongue against her neck and a hand playing with the hem of her panties.

Her body trembled underneath his. Dream Bakura slipped a hand into her panties, cupping her womanhood.

"Ah!" Her nails dug into his biceps.

"Did the Pharaoh do this to you?"

Anzu groaned as he slapped her mound.

"G-Get off!" She remembered. She would wake up. She just had to snap her fingers or pinch herself. Or something. She forced her knee up, narrowly missing his manhood.

Dream Bakura cursed and rolled off her body, nimbly like a cat. In that moment, Anzu snapped and sat up abruptly. Her head was spinning and she had the urge to vomit.

The room was empty. It was just a dream. Just a dream. She settled back down onto the small mattress and curled into the fetal position. _Just a dream. _

__Bakura stood on a street corner, smoking another cigarette. He exhaled. He felt alive. Fiery and alive. He had been dead for so long- literally. He could barely remember the past. The fire and the brimstone. The sand and the sun. It was the sun that was so unforgettable. How long had he been 20?

_Too long. _

He ran a hand up his biceps, feeling the half-moon marks. The thoughts of her flooded his mind.

* * *

Far away in another location, the spiky haired male awoke with a start. His lavender eyes slid open and he stared at the wall. He had a dream. A dream that had been haunting him over and over again. He turned to look at the smaller body next to him.

_Yugi. _

__He was coming for them. Atem could feel it. It was almost as if the Gods had shuffled the cards and spit him back out. Round 3. Third time was the charm. Was that the saying?

He turned over on his back and ran a hand up one golden arm. The Memory Arc. Had it been so long ago?

Bakura. His laughter. His face. The scar was jagged and his eyes unforgiving.

_Zorc. His Ka- twisting into a serpentine figure. _

__"Mmmm, what's wrong Yam- Atem?" A small, tired voice peeped up beside him. Atem turned and rested his affectionate eyes on his former host.

"Nothing, Yugi. Rest now. It was just a dream."

"You say that every night," grumbled Yugi as Atem smiled in response.

He closed his eyes and all he could see was her. Her bright blue eyes. _Taste her. Kiss her. Want her. Gripping the sheets. She gasped as his tongue slid up a creamy thigh and to her center. He stroked the small nub with his tongue. She moaned, throwing her head back. He could feel her nails sink into his scalp. Her smell was delicious. Her juices were sweet. He craved her. _

__He shook his head. He couldn't. Not now.

"Goodnight Anzu," he said to the wall.


	11. Chapter 10: Cigarette Smooches

What was that?

Anzu awoke with a start, _Really that had to be a dream._

She sat up with a groan, rubbing her mussed hair. Her tank top was almost completely off, "Fuuuckkk." She flopped back down.

_That had to be a dream. His lips. His hair and those eyes; like fire and blood. His smell. _

"Coffee," she moaned to no one in the room, "medicine, water...water...need water."

She took a deep breath and rolled off her mattress. The sun streamed in through the window. She cursed.

_I've got a pocket, got a pocket full of sunshine. _

She groaned.

His body lay unfurled on the drabby couch in the apartment, running his fingers through his silver locks. He stared at the cards. _The Lady of Faith. _

Ryou.

He ran his fingers over the phone's keys. _Was his cell phone number the same since..._

Ryou probably already had an inkling that his other half was back. _Were they still technically connected? _Bakura could no longer hear his thoughts. It was eerie to be left alone with his own nothingness. Ryou had been so positive and so...happy. _Too happy. _Had he once been like his little host? That was so long ago. _Egypt. Kemet. _Ryou must know where the boy-king was. He must know something and he had a feeling that though his little half would be utterly shocked, Ryou would never completely reject him.

The thief stared down at his arms with the half-moon scratches. _Last night. _He smirked before slowly dialing the number.

Yugi logged onto his computer; the screen saver popping up. It was his past life. The smiling faces- Tristian with his arm slung around a grinning Joey who had his hand on an indignant Anzu's head. Yugi smiled sadly. _Where was she? _

"Good morning, Yugi." The young man whipped around to see the former pharaoh leaning against the doorway, "Can I come in?"

"Sure Yam- Atem," he corrected himself with a smile. Atem smiled affectionately at his former host, "What's up?"

"I just wanted to discuss something with you," he began. "What happened to Anzu?"

The question was innocent enough but it made Yugi draw in an audible breath, "London, I think. She never really wanted to go to the U.S. to study, like the rest of us. We went to university, but she needed money...I'm not sure. Her cell phone is disconnected and she never responded to anything online...I...don't know."

Atem watched Yugi carefully as he squirmed under his gaze. Atem reached out and put a hand on the man's shoulder, "It's okay Yugi. After I died, I know I left you and your friends alone."

Yugi looked away and then back at the Pharaoh, "You loved her."

Atem withdrew his hand and was quiet for several minutes before he spoke again; his voice was heavy with emotion, "I think she is in trouble."

Yugi's eyebrows crinkled in confusion and he leaned forward, "Why?"

Atem stared into Yugi's eyes, "Yugi, if I'm back, then how do we know I'm the only one?"

Yugi's eyes widened as Atem nodded gravely.

"Ryou."

Ryou picked up the phone on the fourth ring. It was 1:13 pm. He was in the parking lot, juggling an armful of groceries on a street in Madrid.

"Hola," he said picking up his phone.

It was silent for a minute. _Wankers. I hate advertisements. _But it wasn't an advertisement, and Ryou knew instantly who was on the other end of the line.

"Hello Ryou," the voice said.

Ryou nearly dropped the phone, "N-no, it can't be."

"I think that you will find that it is," the other voice rasped.

"Bakura." Ryou placed the groceries on the boot of the car.

"Not Bakura, but close. I had a different name before you, boy."

"What do you want?"

"I have a favor to ask you. It's been such a long time Ryou. I'm sure you thought you would never see me again. How silly. A reunion is in order."

Ryou's eyes narrowed as the former spirit of the ring explained what he needed. He kept silent, weighing his options. A part of him felt compete with his darkness back but mostly he was frightened.

Ryou was speechless, "What should I call you?"

Bakura smirked, "My name- Akefia."

Anzu's head was clearing as she sifted through the documents that she had taken pictures of (illegally) in the Egyptian Museum when she had been there when...

_we were all together. _

Yami had been there. He had been impressed with her ability to read the more basic heiroglyphics. She never told him that she had tried her hand at the ancient language because of him.

She normally thought of him now. Visions of Yami/Atem would fill her mind. Not this time.

It was then that she stumbled across that curious document. Atem had been peering at it when she came up to him. What is it, she had asked. He didn't really remember how to read the ancient tongue, but he was drawn to this block with the symobls carved into it. A man with spiky hair was featured on the front with a horrible serpentine beast.

Anzu leaned closely. _The man-animal will return with...the King of heaven, earth and hell will return...battle._

That's all she had ever translated. It didn't matter now. She shrugged her shoulders. Bakura had made her read all she could from stone tablets that lined the museum walls. In the past two weeks, they had deciphered very little.

_Where was Bakura?_

Bakura knocked on her door.

It was then that she stumbled across that curious document. Atem had been peering at it when she came up to him. What is it, she had asked. He didn't really remember how to read the ancient tongue, but he was drawn to this block with the symobls carved into it. A man with spiky hair was featured on the front with a horrible serpentine beast.

Anzu leaned closely. _The man-animal will return with...the King of heaven, earth and hell will return...battle._

That's all she had ever translated. It didn't matter now. She shrugged her shoulders. Bakura had made her read all she could from stone tablets that lined the museum walls. Yet, in the past two weeks, they had deciphered very little.

The knock on the door stirred Anzu from her thoughts. She groaned as she went to open it.

"What do you want Bakura?"

"Well that's not a way to welcome a guest."

"You aren't a guest."

Bakura rolled his eyes and pushed past her but not before she took his form in. His black v-neck clung tightly to his muscles. A silver chain with the eye of Horus hung from his neck. His fingers were decked in silver rings. She closed the door, quickly fixing her hair.

"Yes, Bakura?"

He looked over his shoulder at her and caught sight of the computer screen, "What do we have here?"

"Don't touch that," Anzu flew to her computer, but not before the white-haired thief planted himself in front of the monitor, "Can you read this?"

Anzu huffed, "Not enough to tell you anything. Something about a king- Atem presumably and another fight between him and an animal-man. I assume it was the Memory Arc."

Bakura was silent as he leaned over her. His scent filled her nostrils and instinctively she leaned back against him. He either did not notice or he chose not to.

"Stupid girl. You are of no help to me at all."

She turned to look at him, coming face to face with him. She expected him to recoil but he held his ground, even coming closer so that their noses were almost touching.

"I'm not stupid. I've gotten you this far, you fucking creep," she whispered.

"Is that all you have for me, dear Anzu?"

He was coming closer. _Pull away. Pull away. _She could almost taste his lips. Could almost...just a bit more. He wanted her to come the rest of the way. She wouldn't.

"I don't have anything for you, you monster."

With a growl, he brought his lips to hers hungrily. Her eyes opened in surprise and then closed as his lips moved harshly against hers. She felt her body go limp as his hand moved up her torso, grabbing her waist and bringing her closer. She gasped as he bit her lip . Instantly her lips parted, inviting his tongue into her mouth...

_No! ANZU! This isn't a dream!_

She opened her eyes and squealed before biting down on his lip, hard. He broke away from her with a smirk, "Feisty Anzu."

"Why?" she asked blankly, "WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?"

"You kissed back, whore." His eyes were wild and his hair was disheveled.

"Don't fucking call me that! Get the FUCK out of MY apartment!"

Bakura took her wrist in his hand and twisted until she gasped in pain, "I was just going." He laughed and made his way to the door.


	12. Chapter 11: Reuinted

Ryou entered his apartment. Familiar and dark. Dark. He hadn't been in it since leaving for Egypt, nearly a year ago. He let the door click behind him, tilting his head and listening for any sign of life. Nothing. Bakura wasn't here. He had been, Ryou noted from the cards spread across the table and trash strewn across the floor. This apartment was occupied. Ryou tried to feel for his former Yami, desperately concentrating on any shred left of his darkness. He felt nothing. Maybe he and his Yami weren't as connected as he thought.

"Bakura?"

Silence.

Ryou shuffled forward, sighing and threw his keys onto his counter. His hands shook but he stilled them, best he could. Bakura was back…something Ryou had only hoped for. Despite the sins his Yami had committed, many were in his name. His Yami never abused him in the physical sense, at least not senselessly. Sure, Ryou hadn't endured completely unscathed. The white-haired youth stared down at his palm where the sharp edges of a game piece had been forced through the skin. Bakura may have been tainted with Zorc, but he was most assuredly human. He had too many humanly quirks- revenge being one of them. Ryou hoped that the blast from the past in the Memory Arc had shaken the last of Zorc from his Yami's body. There was no way of telling. His former darkness's voice was just as ominous on the phone as it had been in person, nearly two years ago. The purpose for revenge was still there, but the motives seemed less tangled in what Zorc had strived for- eternal damnation. No. Bakura sounded driven by his own personal vendetta.

Ryou had developed a great deal of sympathy for Bakura and his situation as a young child. The slaughter of his family and friends was enough to spur Bakura to commit his horrible acts in their names. In the Memory Arc, Akefia, had been obsessed with the dilapidated village…

Ryou paused and flexed his hand.

And for all it was worth, Ryou had seen flashes of a more caring Yami through the stench of Zorc and the unquenchable thirst for revenge. His Yami wasn't capable of love, Ryou was sure of that, at least not with Zorc burning like a hot iron in his soul. No…Bakura was capable of possession, respect and fondness. Ryou had always known that the closest Bakura ever came to having any resemblance of a friend in at least in the modern world, had been himself. Bakura had protected him with a possession and fierceness that terrified the young boy. But those moments were intertwined with flashes indeed of…kindness? No. Ryou shook his head. Maybe, of a peculiar type of fondness…

_"Bakura, I can't sleep."_

_"Sleep, host," the voice was bored. _

_The small boy shifted under his covers and sighed angrily. _

_"Tell me a story."_

_The spirit tsked, "Shut up, you little halfwit. Sleep, we have a long day tomorrow."_

_Ryou was quiet for a few minutes before he whispered out loud, "Can you walk through walls?"_

_To his surprise, Bakura chuckled, albeit darkly, "I can show you."_

_Ryou's eyes snapped open as a Bakura materialized before him. The gaunt, hollowed face caused Ryou to gasp quietly. It never ceased to amaze him how absolutely similar they looked and how decidedly different they were. Ryou instinctively reached out to touch the ghost. The feline eyes followed his hand, smirking as it went through his transparent chest. _

_"You are so cold," Ryou shivered. _

_Bakura's lips stretched further into a terrifying grin before backing away from Ryou. His feet didn't touch the ground as he disappeared through the solid, white wall. Ryou watched in awe before it quickly turned to desperation when his Yami did not return. _

_"B-Bakura? Come back!" _

_"Scared of the dark Ryou?" A disembodied voice bounced off the walls. _

_Ryou whimpered and shrugged the covers over his slightly trembling form. _

_"Do not be afraid, little host for I am the darkness."_

_Bakura appeared, hovering before the boy, legs crossed. _

_"You won't leave me forever?" Ryou asked hopefully, relieved to see his darkness again. _

_Bakura cocked his head, "Oh dear Ryou," he cooed, "I will never leave you. Foolish, halfwit…you see me more as a blessing then a curse."_

_Ryou shook his head and snuggled back under his covers, "How old were you when you died Bakura?"_

_"…Don't ask questions, host" Bakura snarled. Ryou yelped as he felt the ring grow hot against his neck. _

_"You are hurting me."_

_"Good." _

_"I-I'm sorry."_

_The ring instantly cooled. Ryou sighed. He was always punished when he toed the line. Bit, by agonizing bit he was able to pull out snippets of a life the spirit had once lived. _

_"It's okay if you don't remember them Bakura."_

_Ryou didn't expect any affirmation from Bakura that he heard but he knew the ghost was listening carefully. _

_"Your family, it's okay. I'm your family now," Ryou mumbled against a yawn. _

_Bakura was silent and the ring thankfully, stayed the same temperature. _

_"Just stay with me tonight, okay Bakura? I don't like the dark,"_

_Bakura snorted but Ryou felt his Yami's presence there until his eyes drifted close in slumber, just as he requested. _

The memory vanished from his mind like a cloud of smoke. Ryou's lips curved into a small smile. The spirit had never understood Ryou's words. _Family. My family. _Those words were not in the vocabulary of the monster Bakura had become. He was merely a shell- still somewhat human and yet predominantly darkness. Ryou walked towards the table, running his hands over the tarot cards spread across the smooth surface. He raised an eyebrow as he saw in the center lay the Magician of Faith.

"Anzu's favorite card," Ryou breathed.

Bakura had merely explained in brief what his plans were: Use Anzu to lure the Pharaoh to London. Ryou had no idea how Bakura intended to do this. After all, New York City was quite a distance from England. It would have to be a convincing argument…

The door slammed open. Ryou didn't flinch.

"Host?"

"Well that is not exactly correct terminology is it, darkness?"

Bakura appeared in the doorway. Ryou barely bit back a gasp. His former Yami was every bit the likeness of himself, only somewhat darker. His appearance was more jagged- his face more angular. Those eyes narrowed and darker than the lighter brown that Ryou's own pair were. He was taller than Ryou- if only slightly. Ryou could tell that under the black leather jacket, Bakura had a toned body. It was like looking into a warped mirror.

Bakura was also drinking in the sight of his host. He whistled sarcastically.

"Oh Ryou, you have grown up in the two years…well the two years I have been dead." Bakura chuckled sardonically and sauntered closer to the young man.

"My, my, what did you do to our hair?" Bakura reached out and touched the short locks.

"Egypt is hot," Ryou shrugged.

"Mmmmm, that it is, little Ryou. Have you missed me?"

In all honesty, Ryou had missed Bakura very much. The other half of his soul had gone missing so suddenly, that Ryou didn't have much time to deal with the mental fallout.

"It has been a long two years."

"Wish I could have said the same. But, it's not like me to stay dead, is it?"

Ryou watched as Bakura reached into his pocket and pulled out a lighter and a fresh pack of cigarettes.

"Don't you know fags will kill you?" Ryou said automatically.

Bakura paused with the cigarette in his mouth and slowly met Ryou's eyes.

"Oh, uhh- right then," Ryou's cheeks burned, "Touchy subject."

Bakura's eyes narrowed, but never left Ryou's form as he lit the cigarette and inhaled, blowing the smoke towards the young man.

"So you've been living here?"

Bakura watched him but said nothing.

Ryou paced instead, hands in his back pockets, "How have you been making money?"

Bakura shrugged, blowing out smoke, "The money under your mattress helped."

"That was only maybe fifty pounds…"

"I manage," Bakura snarled. The conversation was over.

"How did you meet Anzu?"

"Too many questions, dear Ryou. What have I always taught you about your pretty, little mouth?"

Bakura bared his teeth in a terrible version of what seemed to be a grin, "Anyway, that is precisely why I invited you here…"

Ryou shifted his weight as he watched his Yami recline in the armchair in front of him.

"Ba- Akefia, I won't be a part of your plans. We've been through this. It's almost as if you are more obsessed with Atem than what happened to your own village."

Silence. Ryou stopped and chewed his lip nervously, but met Bakura's gaze with steely resolve.

"Are you quite finished?" his Yami arched an elegant eyebrow. Ryou said nothing.

"Good. All I want from you, little Ryou, is some information. Do you happen to know if the boy-king is alive as I am alive?"

Ryou narrowed his eyes, "I've been in Egypt. You can't possibly think I would know what Yugi is up to."

"Mmm," mused Bakura, ashing his cigarette in a makeshift ashtray to his side before lighting another, "I don't believe you, and here is why."

Ryou's eyes widened as Bakura handed him a small scrap of paper. On it was Yugi's email address. _  
_

"Where did you find this?" Ryou's voice was an octave higher than it previously had been.

"Under your mattress with the 'maybe only fifty pounds,'" Bakura said, mimicking Ryou's voice in a girlishly tone.

" What-did-you-do?"

"Do? No. You see…it's more like," the grin grew more feral, "what I wrote."

Ryou's heart quickened, "Akefia….you…didn't."

"Funny thing, computers. You see there isn't much I like about the modern age except this wonderful sense of immediacy. Everything can be done in a matter of seconds. A text. A phone call. An email."

Ryou shook his head, confused, "You don't have access to a…" It dawned on him.

Bakura inhaled his cigarette, eyes closed with a self-satisfied smirk on his face.

"Anzu was only so kind to leave her computer open for me. It only took minutes for me to find what I was looking for. The connection. She can read the ancient tongue. She can decipher the blocks at that pathetic museum. She is connected to him. Him. How did I not see it before? Though my memories with Zorc are a tad hazy, even I must admit. How did I not see that those two were…"

Ryou ripped the piece of paper up, "STOP!"

"Fucking each other," Bakura had on a schoolboy's grin, "Must have been creative. Did little Yugi know about it?"

Ryou just stared blankly at his Yami who cocked his head and dragged his tongue across his bottom lip.

"Oh, how kinky. Even for me."

Ryou was in a state of disbelief. His Yami may have been rid of Zorc but there was still something rotting inside of him.

"You better not have hurt Anzu."

The warning fell a little flatter than Ryou would have liked.

"Hurt Anzu? No. She is far too valuable to me. Pretty little slut. Are you aware of what she does for a living?"

Ryou wanted to grab the fag from Bakura's hand and throw it out the window. Instead, he pursed his lips.

Bakura tilted his head and crossed one leg over the other. The smoke swirled around his head like a warped version of a halo.

Ryou's mind raced. He had to warn Yugi or Atem. This was all too familiar- the gut-wrenching feeling of anxiety. It would seem that Bakura had not changed since his latest stint with death. In fact, his new body afforded him a vehicle in which he could carry out any diabolical plot without his host botching up his fine tuned plans.

"Do you want me to show you?"

Ryou looked up from the ground, "Hmm?"

"Where she works."

He slipped his hands into his pockets and sighed, "Fine. Let's go."

"You aren't going in that." The white-haired demon eyed Ryou's light blue button up with mere amusement.

"Wh-What do you mean? Is it not nice enough?" Ryou looked alarmed.

The look his former darkness threw at him spoke volumes of the location of Anzu's workplace.

"Right then. I'll change."

"Perfect," Bakura drawled, plunging the cigarette into the arm of the chair.

Anzu's hands shook as she dabbed her nose with powder. _Really, Anzu. Get a hold of yourself. This is all too much. _

She couldn't deny her attraction to him. His kiss had been rough, but there was a certain tenderness to it. It was almost as if he was aware he could break her and therefore, he pushed her to the edge of her threshold before reigning in his passion. His taste was peculiar as well. He tasted like a delicious spice and cigarettes. It wasn't altogether bad.

Regardless, she had to rid herself of these thoughts. He was plotting something and it probably involved Atem. The sharp pain that usually wracked her chest at the mention of his name was only a dull throb now. She glanced at her phone. Andy had sent her several text messages- each more frantic than the last. Anzu smiled at how worrisome her friend was. _Like Joey. _

She often found herself thinking about a time, not too long ago, when life was simpler in the sense that she had a team of friends. The problems they faced were unearthly and supernatural. _But at least we had each other. _

What happens to a friendship after everything you stood for was taken away? Were they ever really friends or just allies for a cause? Anzu tried not to let her mind wander there for the pain was far too great. She applied her lipstick, snapped it shut and strutted out of the bathroom while sending Andy a reassuring text message.

Ryou wandered through the crowds of men in suits.

"Are we at a strip club?"

Bakura snorted, "Not quite, host."

Ryou watched as beautiful women in tight-fitting clothing strutted across the bar. He spun around to see his former darkness palming a wad of money.

"Where did you get that?"

He was silenced by a scathing look.

A portly man wearing a suit much too small for him, sidled up to Bakura and clapped a hand on his shoulders, causing Ryou to snort with laughter at the thief's expression.

"Back again, I see?," the man chortled, "And brought your…twin, I see?"

"Brother," said Bakura smoothly, shrugging Gus's hands off his shoulders, "We are brothers. He's my younger brother. Much….much younger."

"Not too young I hope."

Bakura's eyes locked with Ryou's own pair, "No, not too young indeed. Now if you will excuse us…brother?"

Ryou rolled his eyes and nodded politely at Gus.

"Here to see Anzu? I'll send her over. She's a favorite though." The smell of marijuana caused Ryou to stifle a cough. He smiled weakly, feeling his insides curl.

"She's a dancer?" He whispered to Bakura who had somehow found himself a drink.

"Bar wench, if you must use such degrading terminology," his Yami said sarcastically between sips, "Drink?"

"N-not yet."

"It's on me host. The least I can do for one who gave me such a cozy home through all those years." Ryou felt like punching his former darkness in the nose. Sighing he lifted his hand to call over one of the girls.

Anzu had caught site of the pair the minute they walked in. Ryou was much more grown-up than she remembered him. He had cut his hair- the most noticeable difference. He also carried himself with a bit more confidence, but his eyes seemed so familiar. She had seen that same sadness in her own eyes. Staring at the two together, she could see the marked differences and yet the similarities were just as striking.

They sat down almost directly in front of her. _It's almost like he knew! _Bakura promptly went to work, ordering a drink and summoning women. She watched as they fawned over him. One busty blonde girl that Anzu had not particularly liked, hiked her skirt up a bit further as she went to plant herself on his lap. A pang of jealousy shot threw her like a white-hot blade.

"Who are you staring at, Anz?"

Anzu started, nearly dropping a glass, "Oh sorry. I just- nothing."

Andy's green eyes followed Anzu's gaze, "Hey that's the guy you went home with. And is that his…twin?"

Anzu suppressed the urge to roll her eyes, "Yes, that's the man who walked me home. Nothing happened. I just don't want to say anything to him. Not here."

Andy stared at her friend, "Are you sure you are alright? You look as if you've seen a ghost."

"In a way, I have," she muttered.

"Anzu! Table 13. Two men with the hair," Gus yelled, waving his arms in the direction of the table.

Andy patted her arm, "Need backup?"

_Joey. _She smiled, "Nope. Thanks though. I got to face this one on my own."

Andy shrugged as she watched her friend walk slowly towards Table 13. Ryou looked vaguely uncomfortable with the attention he was getting, but he handled it well. He seemed to be having a very respectable conversation with a stunning brunette. Anzu tried not to giggle. _Only Ryou would try to have a serious conversation with a stripper. _

Ryou saw her first and immediately stood up, nearly hitting his pretty partner in the face.

"Anzu," his brown orbs brightened as he went in to hug her, "It's been such a long time. I've missed you so much. I- I didn't know you worked here."

"Yes, well…we have to pay the bills, I suppose," she laughed though she was quite sure Ryou could see through to her pain, "You look wonderful though. I love the hair."

"Yeah?," Ryou touched the tips with a shy smile, "I rather liked it too. I can't walk around Egypt looking like a girl. Against culture and all."

She laughed and her heart soared, "When did you get in?"

"Last night. I was scheduled to come back this week anyway and well Akefia…"

"Akefia?"

"Bakura, I mean."

Anzu watched as Bakura licked one girl's finger rather suggestively. Her stomach roiled as the blonde giggled and ground herself onto his thigh.

"Ahem, Bakura," Ryou started.

The white-haired demon looked up lazily, "Anzu…how nice of you to visit our table." He pushed the blonde off his lap.

"Trust me, I'm only here to see Ryou."

"No one likes a liar, dear."

"Fuck off."

"Oh, it's far to early for those shenanigans, girl."

Ryou stared at Anzu and then Bakura. There was a spark between the two that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"Did you want something to drink Ryou?" Anzu turned her attention away from the handsome man lounging in front of her.

"I'll take a beer, I suppose."

"Sure. One second," she turned away and practically stomped back to the bar.

"Hey, can you cover the front for five? I'm going out back to get more beer from the fridge."

Andy nodded, "Sure babe."

Anzu gritted her teeth. _If only he weren't so handsome. Stupid…stupid….stupid. And that slut he had! _Anzu wanted to wring that blonde's neck. She didn't want to admit her feelings for the former Spirit of the Ring. The admission would complicate matters too much. And besides, he simply wanted to fuck her, use her and dangle her in front of the Pharaoh. Falling for Bakura would make her an easy pawn in his warped game.

She switched on the dim light at the back of the building, surveying the crates of wine and beer as well as the shelves of hard liquor.

"Ah, there," she sighed, walking towards a large refrigerator. And besides, she had always loved Atem. This was just a mere crush. He didn't feel the same way about her anyhow. How could he?

The door to the room slammed shut. _This always happens. _

"Hey let's not slam the door shut, shall we?" Anzu said loudly, not looking up as she picked through beers in the fridge.

"Is that a command?" Anzu's eyes widened and she dropped the beer she was holding in her hand. The impact was deafening, but she barely heard it.

The next second, she was pressed against the fridge, lips ravishing her neck. She gasped, running her hands up his defined biceps.

His lips found her ear and he traced the outline with the tip of his tongue, "Missed me, Anzu?"

**Yugi Motou's apartment New York, New York**

"Atem?"

The Pharaoh noted the concern in his light's voice.

"Yes?" came the baritone reply.

"I just got an email."

"Who from?" he asked, leaning against the doorway behind Yugi.

"…Anzu."

Atem nearly dropped his mug of coffee.

"What does she say?"

"Well that's the thing. I don't really think it's her."

Yugi's voice shook.

"Mind if I take a look?"

Yugi looked back at his Yami who strode towards him and peered over his shoulder. The young man watched as his darkness' expression turned from surprise into anger almost immediately.

"This can only mean one thing," he said finally.

Yugi looked up expectantly.

"He's back." The Pharaoh's eyes narrowed into a steely glare.


	13. Chapter 12: Strings Attached

Anzu wanted to scream, but instead she let out a low whimper. She cursed at how easily she had given up.

"B-Bakura," she said, breathless from his ministrations. He ground himself further into her small frame. Her hips instinctively rose to meet his and she felt his desire through the fabric of his jeans. His teeth found her collarbone where he nipped harshly, causing another whine to escape. She could have resisted his advances. In fact, when she would think things over later, she would find that she was truly capable of stopping his actions with one swift knee to the groin. Alas, she finally realized that she didn't want him to stop.

His lips found hers, jolting her back to reality. She kissed back, grabbing fistfuls of his shirt, groaning against his lips. She could feel as his lips curved into a smirk, and she could almost taste the acrid taste of satisfaction on his tongue. One strong hand kept her where she was, against the fridge. The other hand wandered down her chest, pinching her nipples through her cotton shirt. The shameless moan that fell from her lips startled even her. Bakura pulled away for a brief second. Her eyes fluttered open at the loss of contact, though his hand continued to knead her breast.

They looked at one another, breathing heavily. Anzu was struck by the look in his eyes. The hard exterior had melted into something far more confusing. His hair was disheveled and sweaty. Tentatively, she reached out and brushed a lock of hair away from his forehead. The gentle gesture seemed to bring him to his senses. He grabbed her wrist, smirking, and ran his tongue up the length of her hand before sucking on the small pinky finger.

Anzu's eyes fluttered to half-mast.

"Do you like this Anzu?" His voice was husky with want, "What do you want me to do?"

"T-touch me."

"Where?"

She moaned in response.

His fingers tightened around her wrist, "Where?" His voice was demanding.

His hand trailed down her stomach, over the zipper of her jeans before cupping her womanhood.

"There.." she bucked into his hand.

"As you wish, dear Anzu," he purred.

Ryou sat alone at the table, sipping on his gin and tonic. Akefia had risen from his seat rather abruptly and muttered something about being right back. Ryou had watched him follow Anzu through a door in the back of the room. No one seemed to question him and Ryou had shaken his head in amazement- _how does he just get away with things like that? _It was almost like he was still a ghost. _Maybe he still thinks he is. _

What had struck Ryou was why…why had he followed Anzu? Sure, it did look like she had been miffed, watching two scantily clad girls straddle his former Yami, but since when had Akefia cared about anyone's feelings? Ryou had a funny feeling that stirred deep within the recesses of his mind…_Maybe there is more to Anzu and Bakura than meets the eye. _He _was _human now. Surely he had…urges. Ryou fought away the blush that rose to his cheeks at the very thought such desires. Was he capable of love? When Zorc was driving the boat, Ryou was quite certain he was not. In fact Ryou believed the former Bakura was more demon than your garden-variety attic spirit. Bakura had merely been part spirit but also an extension of Zorc himself. Part god, part spirit? Ryou sucked down more of the gin, wincing as the alcohol hit his tongue. What happened to the soul after Zorc was defeated? These questions had plagued Ryou ever since the Memory World. Clearly however, this time, Akefia was in charge. He was just too…_human_ not to be.

"Um, hey?"

Ryou looked up from the napkin he had been playing with and into a pair of pretty green eyes. An attractive raven-haired girl stood in front of him, clutching a tray, "Are you erm…that guy's brother?"

"For all intensive purposes…yes," Ryou replied with a hint of sarcasm, knowing she was referring to Bakura.

"Okay…" Andy looked confused, "My name is Andy. I'm Anzu's friend."

"Pleased to meet you," Ryou said politely, "Ryou." He extended his hand and they shook.

"So I saw your _brother _follow Anzu into the back room? I tried to get in there but it's locked and I can't find Gu- my boss. Do you know what the, _pardon my French_- the fuck is going on in there?"

Ryou sighed, "I'm not sure. He just said he'd be right back. I didn't know he was going to go in there."

Andy raised an eyebrow, "I don't know. He went home with her a couple of nights ago."

Ryou's eyebrows shot into his hairline. _Interesting. _Ryou quickly looked down at the gin and tonic in his hand as to not alarm the pretty girl.

"A couple of nights ago you say?"

Andy tsked, "Yes a couple of nights ago and she mentioned him tonight. She wasn't too pleased that your brother had girls crawling all over him."

"She said that?"

"She didn't have to." Andy became a bit annoyed.

Ryou sensed it as well and looked up at her with kind brown eyes.

"I'm sorry. My brother can be a bit of an arse sometimes. I had no idea where he was going," Ryou's voice wavered only slightly through the lie, "You are quite sure?"

"Yes."

"Right, well I guess we should check in on them. He wouldn't do anything to hurt her, Andy," Ryou was almost decided on this. It was clear that Bakura _liked_ Anzu.

"Bollocks," he whispered as he followed Andy, stiffly across the room.

Bakura had nearly torn open the buttons on her shirt- not that there were many to tear through. Only a few were buttoned in the middle, giving onlookers a delicious view of Anzu's body. His hands pushed aside her bra, growling at the offending fabric. Finally seeing his prize, he took one rosy bud in his mouth, circling his tongue around it, causing Anzu to fumble around for the fridge's handles for support as her legs turned to jelly.

"Please," she hissed.

He bit down hard in response causing a delicious twist of both pain and pleasure to shoot up her body. She arched her back. Bakura grinned evilly against her breast, sliding a tongue across her chest to the other bud, giving it the same torturous pleasure. She could feel her body, slippery with her sweat and his own. His mouth trailed down, tongue dipping into her navel. She buried her hands into his hair. It was softer than she would have thought yet thick. She twined her fingers around his locks. When she pulled, however he snarled.

"Don't," be breathed against her hip before giving it a sharp nip. She cried out in pain but it soon became a trill of pleasure as he palmed her desire through her jeans, sliding a finger against her folds through her pants. She bit her lip and blushed at how incredibly wet she was. He closed his eyes, nose against her, breathing in the musky scent of her desire.

"Ohhh Anzu," he practically cooed, "Not yet. I think it's my turn, wouldn't you agree?"

Ryou had an idea of what was going on, on the other side of that door. He chewed his lip nervously as he waited for Andy to find Gus.

He rapped lightly on the door, "Erm, Right then, Bakura? Anzu? Enough now…Anne…or Andy has gone to fetch Gus!"

No response. No arguing. No…Ryou's face turned red. _No they couldn't be…_

_But what if they were? _Ryou did not want to get Anzu fired and she certainly would be. _I'm sure Gus expects payments for these trysts, _thought Ryou bitterly.

With that he rapped slightly louder on the door, "Akefia, stop it! Get out of there!" He turned to see some of the waitresses eyeing him with bewilderment. He smiled slightly and made a gesture of confusion. _Akefia!_

Anzu was surprised to feel how big he was. Her desire grew as her searching hands found the zipper. He growled with impatience until she had him in her hand. His growl turned to a groan. Bakura looked down slightly to watch her through half-lidded eyes. The sight before him caused his member to twitch in her hands. Those stunning blue eyes were closed and she was biting her lip in concentration. The brunette locks were mussed and her lips were deliciously swollen. He groaned to think of what her lips would feel like wrapped around his manhood. She rubbed him gently at first, eliciting a groan of approval. Slowly she began to stroke him with increased fervor, watching intently as his eyes rolled back into his head, leaning forward and letting his hand catch himself on the fridge. He was truly beautiful. His silvery hair was wild and his eyes were now narrowed and staring down at her with such want that Anzu was sure she would melt. His lips were parted as he took in quick, short breaths. She had the intense desire to kiss him again. With an expert twist of her hand, she stood up, pressing herself against him. He understood. Grabbing her hair he tilted her head back viciously and smashed his lips against hers, shoving her back against the fridge. She moaned into the searing kiss, letting his hot tongue probe her mouth. She grasped his shoulders as he picked her up so that she was straddling him. He thrust against her, causing Anzu to gasp.

"Ahhh, Bakura."

His lips slipped from her throat and he looked up at her, staring into her azure eyes. His pressed his forehead to hers and his hair came forward to make a curtain around their two faces.

"Anzu," he half growled, half sighed.

"Please…mmmm please, Bakura."

"Say it!" He stared intently into her eyes.

"Ahhh pl-

"AKEFIA!"

Bakura's head shot to look at the door. _Oh, fuck. Was that Ryou knocking on the door?_

Anzu cursed as she found her shirt, buttoning the buttons quickly, trying to mat down her unruly locks. Bakura, however looked more annoyed than embarrassed. His rolled up his sleeves and merely tucked in his shirt.

Anzu didn't know what to say. She could scarcely look at Bakura. His eyes shifted sideways to look at her. He could sense her mortification and it made him smirk.

"AKEFIA. I know you are in there. Open this door, right now!" Ryou punctuated his words with hard, deliberate knocks. Finally Ryou put his hand on the door and jiggled it. He was nearly thrown to the ground when the door opened rather unexpectedly. Ryou looked up, bewildered. Leaning against the doorframe was a rather smug looking Bakura and a rather embarrassed looking Anzu.

"You knocked?" Bakura said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Ryou turned bright red.

"What the hell, Akefia?"

Bakura shrugged his shoulders, "Another drink, Ryou?"

"W-what?"

Ryou watched his darkness walk away before turning to Anzu who was wringing her hands, "What on earth?"

"Ryou!?" Bakura's annoyed voice drifted over the general murmur of the bar. Ryou sighed and turned from Anzu to catch up to his former Yami.

Bakura caught Anzu's eye for a moment and the world froze for precisely a nanosecond. She saw something not necessarily softer- but rather more human in his brilliant eyes. It struck her speechless for a moment and her own eyes probed his own, searching for the meaning of the moment. And then all of a sudden, the moment was over. She watched as Bakura and Ryou walked to Table 13.

Andy knew something was up when Anzu returned to her post. The pretty brunette did not make eye contact with her raven-haired friend.

"Spill it Anzu," Andy finally said, throwing her hands in the air, "What the hell just happened to you back there?"

Anzu blushed as she wiped down a glass, "Nothing. We were arguing in the backroom. He's such an arse for following me back in there. The nerve."

"Yeah…nerve," Andy said sarcastically, "Have you taken me for a right moron? You weren't fighting in there. You don't have to tell me now what exactly happened, but I do believe my guess is nearly on the mark."

Anzu pressed her lips together and rubbed harder at an imaginary mark on the glass. Andy watched for a moment, then shaking her head, she trotted away to assist an elderly man who was ogling her from afar.

**_Yugi's apartment, New York, New York. 1:00am_**

"Atem, I don't understand…"

The former pharaoh was pacing around the room and though his face looked to be the epitome of calm, Yugi knew that this practiced mask was just that- a façade. Atem was currently tugging on his shorter, blonde locks. His eyes flashed a brilliant crimson.

"Bakura is back. Of this, I am sure."

Yugi remembered the email that he had been sent:

_Hello Pharaoh,_

_ Lovely to be back is it not? _

Yugi shook his head, "How do you know though? It could just be someone playing a prank…" Yugi realized how weak that guess may have seemed.

Atem stared at his other half. He always appreciated Yugi's eternal optimism but today it seemed halfhearted and almost annoying.

"Fine," exclaimed Yugi, throwing up his hands, "Let's say he is back…then what? We rescue Anzu? What if it's a trap?"

_I'd meant to plan a little get together, but I'm afraid I've been kept quite busy here in London. I'm sure you can understand. You see, I bumped into someone important here. She's someone who you might remember fondly, your Highness._

"But what if he really has Anzu? What if he has her under some sort of power? She…she doesn't know better."

Yugi felt himself grow rather annoyed with the Pharaoh as well, "She's strong."

"Yes, of course but she doesn't know what he is capable of. And vice versa, though he's realized that she can read some of the ancient tongue."

Yugi nodded, "She did know some ancient Egyptian but she wasn't fluent. I'm confused. You don't think she deciphered those tablets for him, do you? The ones that are said to predict the outcome of the next battle?"

Atem's eyes darkened for a minute, "I do not know Yugi, but that does concern me. She is strong but he could hurt her. She is in a very dangerous position."

_She is quite talented and knows the ancient tongue well. It has impressed me as I know it once impressed you. I know what the tablet says and what it predicts. We will be judged. Your time on this earth will be all too brief and your afterlife will be nothing short of a nightmare. _

"Then we are going to London? With what money?"

"The money we saved to go to Egypt," Atem said simply, "Grandpa will understand."

_Will he? Yugi thought bitterly. _He knew there was no use arguing with his other half. The handsome man's voice was laced with stubbornness and his face showed such determination that any misgivings Yugi had simply melted away.

_One more thing Pharaoh. As for our dear little friend, she will be of no use to me very soon. She knows too much. Thus it's imperative that we throw her a farewell party, wouldn't you agree?_


	14. Chapter 13: Prophecies

Ryou was quiet the whole night, sipping thoughtfully on his single gin and tonic. He sighed and rolled his eyes as his Yami sat next to him, smoking and beckoning beautiful women to his lap. Despite his behavior, Ryou saw that more than once, his former Yami's eyes drifted over to Anzu's form behind the bar. To her credit, Anzu never looked over again. Ryou was silently impressed.

"Light," Bakura hissed.

Ryou looked up from the ice in his cup.

His Yami had a cigarette between his fingers and a smirk tugging at his lips.

"You and Anzu, huh?"

Bakura's eyes narrowed and he tilted his head, taking a long drag from his cigarette.

"You really aren't going to acknowledge that you had her pressed against the fridge door nearly about to shag?"

"What a pretty little foul mouth you have, my former host. It never ceases to amaze me."

Ryou sighed and shook his head, but he looked up abruptly as he felt Bakura close a fist over his wrist.

"Nothing," Bakura growled, "Nothing is going on between me and Anzu. She's a silly slut."

Ryou nodded, eyes narrowed.

Bakura unclasped his wrist, and finished off his cigarette, never taking his eyes off his better half.

"Well, I think I've had a enough fun for tonight," Ryou said sarcastically, "If you do not mind, I'll be on my way."

Bakura shrugged his shoulders and turned away, "Goodnight Ryou, tomorrow we will meet to discuss matters."

"Goodnight," Ryou said simply, putting on his coat. He looked once more at Bakura, waved to Anzu and walked out of the club, hands shoved in his pockets. The cold air stung his face and he shivered, turning his face upward to watch the street lights flicker.

As he walked on the narrow sidewalk, Ryou was lost in his thoughts. _There is no way this is the same Bakura. _Sure Bakura had been twisted with dark, hateful matter...but Ryou had always thought that the darkness may have only played a limited role in Bakura's sadism. But now that he was human? Bakura had not been a clinical sociopath as he had previously thought. He was capable of some sort of feeling.

"Unless it's just sex," Ryou whispered, breath curling into steamy smoke. He pulled out his phone and pulled up the email he had received last night and read through it again.

_Ryou-_

_Please respond to this email. I have to discuss something with you. It's important. _

_- Yugi_

Ryou felt a shiver run through his body as a wave of conflicting emotions assaulted his senses. Once again Bakura was making him choose. And for once, Ryou wasn't sure if he was on the wrong side.

Anzu finished washing the dirty glasses. Her heart burned with a certain jealousy and a certain giddiness. She could not believe that she had let herself be taken so easily by the handsome thief. For a moment, she felt her conscience wracked with unmeasurable guilt. After everything he had done to her friends, she had willingly let him touch the most sacred places of her body. Yet, she couldn't deny that she relished in the fact that his eyes, more than once that night, had been on her. She wanted him, and she was almost certain he wanted her.

"There are no feelings behind it. It's just...desire."

"What?"

Anzu looked up quickly and saw that Gus was standing in front of her casually smoking a joint. Her nose crinkled at the smell.

"Nothing. What's up?" She wiped her hands on her small blouse.

"You can dance?"

Anzu nodded slowly, eyes narrowing. _What was he asking?_

"Look Anzu," Gus said wrly, smiling around the joint, "I have a guy over here asking for a private show. Just a little..."

"Lap dance?" Anzu spit out. Her eyes flashed.

"Look...right, well I know we are closing up, but he offered..."

"I refuse."

Her boss' eyes clouded over in rage, "You have no right to refuse anything, you ungrateful slag."

Anzu stepped back, shocked. She felt fire licking at her belly.

"It's that man. Now you march right over there missy."

Anzu looked in the direction her boss was pointing. A middle-aged, balding, heavyweight man was sitting in the corner, sipping on a Jack and Coke. Every once in a while, the nervous man would run his tongue over his lips, leaving them moist and unappealing. Anzu blanched.

"I'll quit."

"You wouldn't dare." Anzu watched as Gus's eyes bulged.

"Then-"

"She won't be giving anyone a lap dance,"a voice interrupted.

Gus spun around to see the peculiar white haired customer.

Gus sputtered as Bakura blew smoke into his face and cocked his head, smiling almost insanely. Anzu's heart was beating faster than usual. She wasn't sure if it was because Bakura had stood up to her boss or the close proximity she was to the handsome man.

"With all due respect sir, Anzu here has been promised to that customer over there. I'm sure you can understand."

Bakura chuckled, then in an instant, he had Gus's shirt collar in his strong grip. His face loomed milimeters from the terrified owner.

"I think I didn't make myself clear," Bakura said smoothly, "Anzu will not be joining that fat oaf over there for a complimentary grope session, you poor excuse for a human being."

Anzu felt all the blood drain from her face. She watched as the same thing happened to her terrified boss.

He merely nodded as Bakura tightened his grip around the collar, nearly choking the man.

"Good," Bakura said, releasing the owner. Gus stumbled backwards, let out a string of curses, and with a final meaningful look at the white-haired devil, turned and stomped away.

Anzu could barely speak as she looked at her savior. Before she could say thank you, Bakura turned on his heel and sidled away from the bar. Grabbing her coat, Anzu followed him out the door. He made no motion that he might speak to her, so she trailed behind him. Her heart pounded against her chest and she felt her legs turn to liquid.

_He's playing games with me. _She felt the fire in her belly again.

"Bakura!"

He didn't stop nor did he make any gesture that he had heard her.

"Fine! I'm going home. Just get out of my fucking life, you bastard." She turned and walked towards the bus stop, hands shoved firmly in her pockets. She didn't allow herself to look back until she was at the stop.

Finally when she did, the thief was nowhere to be seen.

She ignored the feeling that ate away at her heart. _This is madness. _She chewed on her lip, shivering in the cold. Truthfully, she was angry with herself for everything that had transpired but in a way she had lured him to her. She had wanted this to happen on some level. She remembered his lips gliding down her neck, tongue dipping into her navel, mouth pressed against her desire. She blushed at the last thought. She hadn't felt this way since..._he _drifted through her mind again. She had forgotten. _How could I forget so easily?_

_Atem..._

The bus pulled to a stop with a tired squeal, shaking her from her thoughts. She boarded, feeling confused and upset. Her blue eyes closed as she leaned her weary body against the window. In that moment she let go of the stress, agony, want and pain. She could feel the emotions dissipate and leave her body, leaching out of the window above her as the bus slowly lulled her into a gentle slumber.

**Ryou's apartment, London**

Ryou sat at his computer sipping on coffee. He had re-read Yugi's message a hundred times and he still wasn't sure how to respond. It was clear that Anzu was in no immediate danger. _Would he even go through with everything? Had anything changed? What was his plan anyway? _Ryou groaned, rubbing his eyes angrily.

"I don't owe him allegiance. He used me...for fuck's sake he used my body," he managed to growl.

Ryou spoke to the wall in front of him. _Yugi is my friend and he should know. _He ran a hand through his short locks before resting his fingers on the keyboard. With a heavy sigh, he began to type.

**Anzu's apartment, London**

Anzu closed her door and walked to her bed. Her mind felt fuzzy and heavy with the suggestion of sleep. Her spirit was restless though, twisting, writhing and spitting fire. She couldn't decide if she was angry or satisfied. Perhaps both.

_What am I doing?_

On one level, she was disgusted with herself. She knew that Bakura was planning something against her and maybe even he friends. Her chest tightened- an automatic response. Was Atem even alive?

She laughed bitterly at the thought. _He wouldn't want me now if he knew what I did and what I've become._

"_Anzu,"_ the voice penetrated her thoughts, almost as if he were present. Anzu closed her eyes.

"_Anzu, why did you choose this? Choose him? My sworn enemy." _The baritone voice was hurt, confused and angry. She opened her blue eyes only to see his apparition before her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, "I loved you and you left me."

The apparition cocked his beautiful head, the amethyst eyes narrowed and his golden skin shimmered in the dim light. Her breath caught in her throat at the heavenly sight.

"_Anzu I had to. It was the only way."_

"I couldn't wait for you forever! I wanted so badly to believe," she said loudly, fists clenched, her nails bit into the flesh, "I wanted so badly."

The apparition looked at her sadly as he shook his head.

"_There can be no more us. You've made a foolish mistake. You've become the fool. You've left your senses behind."_

"No-"

"_Anzu you've brought upon your own demise. You have no one to blame but yourself. And truly, I am sorry for it."_

The apparition dissipated slowly, and she watched as the thin lips curved into a smirk, in likeness to the infamous one Bakura usually wore.

"Please don't leave me."

The smirk grew wider but his eyes were sad.

"Atem," she whispered as the figure turned into a mere shadow.

She let out a strangled cry, and fell to her knees. "No, no, no, no, no." She chanted to herself, pressing her palms against the tiled floor. Her disheveled hair fell against her face as tears leaked from her eyes. _I'm a traitor. _She squeezed her eyes shut as her mind drifted cruelly to the steamy events that had taken place earlier that night.

Slowly, she sank to the floor, pressing a wet cheek to the cold solid beneath her. She sniffled softly.

_I'm weak. _

Had she always been like this? Was she predestined to fall apart as soon as a man touched her? Her stomach roiled in discuss. Yet somewhere in the depths of her gut, she felt another something else. _Attachment? Fondness? Want? Desire? _

She lay very still, trying to grasp these emotions. Alas, it was like trying to capture a sun's rays in a jar. Impossible.

She heard the knock at her door, but made no move to open it. She knew who it was. The person at the other end did not knock again nor call out to her. She felt his presence though, seeping through the door.

She hated herself as she rose from the ground, wiping away tears and blotting her eyes. She rested her hand lightly on the doorknob, listening to the gruff breathing emanating from the man outside.

"Foolish girl," a voice growled, laced with desire, "Open this door."

Anzu felt something harden within her. The fire that shot through her was burning and hot.

"No," she hissed, "Go away."

He chuckled darkly and she could feel the powerful, negative energy leeching from his pores. Her breath quickened and she felt alive.

He said nothing and presently, she heard his footsteps move away from her door. She stood there, immensely proud of her strength.

She twisted the door knob, hoping to crack the door to see if he had left the premise. As she turned the knob, a thought struck her.

_I never locked the door! He must have known and he still didn't come in?_

It puzzled her. Why hadn't he forced himself upon her if she had so carelessly left the door unlocked?

She flung the door open, "BAKURA!"

Mr. Frank who had been pacing back and forth up the aisle jumped and let out a squawk.

"Oh, so sorry Mr. Frank. I didn't see you there," she said, an apologetic smile gracing her features.

Mr. Frank just squinted at her and moved away muttering. Anzu shook her head and peered out, trying to see through the darkness.

"Bakura?"

And suddenly he was there, slinking down the hallway. It may have just been an electrical problem, but every light he walked under, buzzed and flickered as if touched by something not of this world. She gulped but held her ground.

His handsome face was expressionless and his feline eyes were narrowed and focused solely on her. The thrill that shot through her, threatened to turn her legs into jell.

He finally stood in front of her. The smell of spice lingered in her nostrils and she took a deep breath taking in his heady scent.

He said nothing, but looked down at her. He looked like a corpse, expressionless. His lips were not curved into a vicious smile.

"I wanted only to thank you for what you did tonight, regarding Gus," she said deliberately. Indeed, she was proud to have found her voice at all, "That's all. You may go."

"Do you want me to go?" He spoke in a low, curious tone. Gentle but powerful.

Anzu had not been prepared for such a question.

"Y-Yes, I want you to go. Of course."

He moved towards her until their bodies were touching ever so slightly. The power and emotion reverberating between them was undeniable. It frightened even her.

He leaned down until their lips were almost touching.

"Liar."

_Two can play at this game. _She smirked.

"Not at all. It's just very late," she didn't recoil from him, rather she looked him straight in the eyes, letting her breath fan across his face.

She could see his lips twitch into a small smirk.

She turned away, leaving the door open. An unspoken invitation. Bakura walked through the door and into the tiny flat. He watched as she made her way to the tiny table in the kitchen area and sat down gracefully. She put rested her beautiful face on her hands, and looked up at him politely.

_I'll show him that I can be in control of this game. I'm a woman for fucks sake. _She felt a small smile tug at her lips.

"You came to speak to me Bakura?"

Bakura cackled but said nothing as he moved towards the table, and sat across form her. It was then that she noticed he was still wearing the tight business shirt. Nearly all the buttons were undone, exposing his lean chest to her hungry eyes. She wondered how he had walked in the cold dressed like that.

He caught her staring at him and his face broke out into a terrible grin.

"Well?" she said now outwardly smirking.

He reached into his pocket and took out a deck of cards and placed them on the table, checking her face to see any reaction. There was none.

He opened the box and tilted it, letting the cards slide out into his hand. Placing the box aside, he put the cards on the table in front of them.

"Put your hand on the deck," he purred.

She felt her heart race in excitement as she did what she was told. She stared back at him almost arrogantly but said nothing.

"Now close your eyes and concentrate on what you want the most."

She closed her eyes and tried to focus her mind from extraneous thoughts.

Bakura stared at the vision before him. Her hair was slightly mussed and it fell across her face in wavy curls. Her pink lips parted almost automatically and Bakura felt his body grow hot from the sight. He shrugged the feeling away as she opened her blue orbs to gaze confidently into his own dark pair.

"Now what?"

He reached forward, brushing his hand against hers. An electric shock shot through her body as she quickly took her hand away.

"The cards are now infused with your essence," he said slowly, "Your hopes, dreams and desire. Believe in the cards and you will know your destiny."

He turned the first card over and smirked. _The Flame Swordsman. _

_Joey. _Anzu brushed it from her mind.

"Ah yes," Bakura mused. "You are brave and you tend to leap into battle almost immediately. "

He turned over the next card. _A virus trap card. _

"However, something is holding you back this time. Or rather someone is holding you back from what you believe is the right thing. You believe this person is an infection."

Bakura slowly looked up from the card. The smile was evil and magnificent.

Anzu stared back innocently. Bakura tsked and turned over the next card.

_Change of Heart. Ryou. _

Bakura looked curiously at it for a minute, "This needs no explanation. You've had a change of heart yourself. You are seeing this problem as less of a problem now.

She felt his knee brush against hers under the table. A prickle of desire ran through her. Slowly she moved her leg against his. If he had noticed, he said nothing.

She watched his handsome features as he stared at the next card.

"The lady of faith," he spoke, "She soothes the souls of others. But can you see her eyes? Look." He shoved the card towards her, "She is sad herself. You have guilt for what you want."

She glanced up at him. His canines sparkled and she felt his hand move up her leg. She bit back a gasp.

"Next card?"

He didn't remove his hand, but rather, flipped over the next card. "The Pot of Duality."

She slowly moved her foot up his leg. She was overcome with desire and determined to win the game they were playing. She could see she was having an effect on him, even though his face was a façade of indifference. His eyes sparked and he inhaled sharply through his nose.

"This card means you have two potential fates. One leads to happiness and the other leads to darkness."

"Which path should I take?" she cooed.

He rubbed his chin, leering at her. He continued to move a hand up her leg as far as he could reach. Her eyes slipped shut for an instant and she fought the urge to let out a whispered moan.

Bakura was not faring well either. He cursed his mortal body for falling so easily into temptation.

With a lusty growl, he turned over the last card. "Dark necrofear." His card.

Anzu caught the confusion on his face.

"What is it?" she asked through a haze of pleasure.

He looked at her. Her body trembled with anticipation and her eyes were as heavy as his own. He could see her hardened nubs through the thin fabric of her shirt. He could taste her desire in the air. He had had enough.

Growling, he stood up, muscles rippling. The table tipped precariously, but did not fall. She watched lazily as he breathed deeply, nostrils flaring with every breath. His eyes sparkled with want, desire and need. His smell drove her wild.

She stood up too, albeit shakily. In two strides, he was in front of her, staring at her, passion emanating from his black eyes. Anzu wondered at how many times the color had changed.

"What are you waiting for?" she said with a smirk that looked so much like his own. He neither moved nor touched her.

"Then maybe you should go Bakura. Thank you for the fortune."

And with that, Bakura shoved her roughly against a wall, lips found hers in a savage struggle. Her hips rose to meet his and he ground himself roughly against her. Buttons ripped as he tore through her shirt like a monster. His lips finding her bud through the cloth, sucking and flicking his tongue against it.

Anzu let the guilt trickle down through her bones and out of her body. She felt only this- this perfect moment of satisfaction, desire and need.


	15. Chapter 14: Flashbacks

**A/N: **Hey guys! Thank you so much for the reviews. They really keep me going and I try to take all suggestions into consideration when I write. I promise that this story will have an end. There will be a turning point in the next chapter.

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Flashbacks

"Have you read the email presumably from Ryou?" Atem entered the room with a towel wrapped around his waist. His beautiful eyes were dull and heavy with lack of sleep and his brilliant skin now took on an ashy gray quality.

Yugi surveyed his former Yami from his post by the computer.

"When was the last time you ate something?"

Atem rubbed his temple and shrugged his shoulders lamely. Yugi sighed.

"I've read it. It doesn't commit to anything. It doesn't even say where he is. I mean I can track the IP…maybe."

His dark looked at him quizzically.

"Nevermind. Eat something, please. You are starting to look like a ghost."

Atem snickered and strode into the room, dropping the towel on the floor as he approached the small closet.

"Jesus," Yugi grumbled in response, blushing, "Maybe you could give me some warning?"

The former pharaoh said nothing as he chose his clothes. Yugi turned back to the computer, lost in his thoughts.

"I think we should leave next week at the latest. Have you talked to Grandpa?"

Yugi sighed again, "Yes, and yes."

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see his dark standing behind him, staring at him with worry.

"I just don't want to lose you again," he mumbled.

Atem's eyes softened, "Don't worry Yugi. You will never lose me. This I am quite certain of."

Yugi wanted to feel comforted but worry stalked his heart and fear spread through his body like a cancer.

She didn't know how she got to her bed; whether she pulled or he pushed. She lay back on the covers sighing in pleasure as he nipped at her throat. He stopped for a minute to look at the scene stretched out underneath him.

Her eyes were half-lidded and her pretty pink lips were parted in desperation. Her pale skin glowed in the moonlight, her breasts heaving under her lacy pink bra. He could smell her sex in the air.

"Bakura," she whispered and a lightening bolt of hot energy ran through him. His hands grasped her hips and he captured her lips in his, biting them harshly. His hands fought the zipper of her pants. He growled as he tugged at the offending fabric. Finally with a groan, he left her lips and trailed a hot, wet tongue down her body.

Anzu grasped the sheets beneath her as he moved lower, breathing noisily against her. Carelessly she knocked the ring that Bakura had taken from his neck, off the mattress.

_Fire. Screams. The sound of water close by. Soldiers? _

Bakura peeled off her pants, teeth biting her inner thighs, tongue soothing the ache left behind. Anzu tossed and turned under his ministrations. He needed to taste her. Off came the panties. His finger running down her slick folds.

_Knives. Fire. Run. Run. RUN. Where? Hide. Fire. _

Bakura could see the images in his mind. He tried to control them. Another flashback. He wanted to concentrate only on her. Her scent. Her body. Her. It was his lifeline.

His tongue lapped around her mound, teasing her and making her hips arch in response to his touch.

"Fucking say it Anzu," he growled, lips nearly touching her womanhood.

Anzu groaned, "Ahhhhh, please."

Suddenly he was hovering over her, "Tell me." His eyes burned into hers. Her hand went up to run a single finger down the scar on his beautiful face.

_Fire. Pain, blood. A searing pain across his face. The river. Water. Where to run. Pain. Pain. Pain. _

He gasped as the feelings came back to him. Mistaking it for pleasure Anzu moaned.

"Please, taste me."

The words brought him back to the moment and he grabbed her around the neck, titling her lips to meet his, before moving down her body. Before she could prepare herself, she felt his tongue against her wet folds.

The feeling was instantaneous. She stretched to meet his mouth, bucking wildly. He found her nub and licked it, sucking gently. White-hot flames licked at the tips of her fingers and toes. Her mind wafted on a delicious cloud of pleasure. Fingers gripped the sheets as if her very life depended on it; knuckles white. _Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. _

She looked down to see him, his mouth pressed against her; his hair falling across his face. His eyes locked with hers and he lifted his face ever so slightly so she could see his tongue work against her folds.

"Harder, faster…please."

Bakura obeyed, tonguing her faster.

_They were gone. No one was there. Blood dripped out of houses, painting the sandy pathways red. A brilliant, beautiful red. He had never seen red like that. The head stared back at him. Mouth open in a silent scream. Eyes glazed over in death. She had meant something to him._

A pain shot through Bakura's chest. He gasped and squeezed his eyes shut.

Anzu shot up, realizing something was wrong through the haze of lust. She stared at the sight before her and her eyes widened in horror.

Ryou awoke with a start to a dull pain in his chest, not unlike heartburn. His eyes crinkled in pain and he winced as he stood up. _What in bloody hell did I eat? _He walked towards the kitchen to get a glass of water, rubbing his chest.

He groaned as he reached for a glass, rubbing his eyes. He watched as the water filled the cup, lifting it to his lips.

_Pain. Blood….Light…Darkness…Bakura!_

The glass shattered as it hit the floor and Ryou followed after it, knees hitting the tile with a resounding thud.

Anzu watched as Bakura seized. He was frothing at the mouth, eyes rolling back into his head. His spine arched off the mattress, causing Anzu to scream. She grabbed his arms, not sure of what to do.

"B-Bakura?! I'll get help, just hold on!" He writhed against her, teeth gnashing. His hair plastered to the saliva and froth on his face. It was over in a minute. He let out a horrible sigh before collapsing into her arms.

"Fuck," she cursed, fumbling for her phone, "What's the emergency number? What…what….what…911….999!"

She picked up her phone, her hands trembling. Immediately a hand shot out to take it from her.

"Don't," he said hoarsely.

Anzu looked down to see Bakura's beautiful dark eyes looking up at her. His hair clung to the sweat on his forehead and his lips, paler than usual, were parted as he took in breath after sweet breath of air. He looked as if he would slip through her fingers.

"W-what? You have to see a doctor Bakura! You just had a seizure!"

He shook his head, annoyed with her.

"It was just…a flashback. A memory. It was nothing, you silly girl."

"Flashback?" Her blue eyes snapped open as she grabbed her sheets to cover herself. He rolled off her lap, wincing as he sat up.

"Bakura…"

"What?" he snapped, not looking at her. He stretched his arms, and twisted his torso, sighing in relief as each individual vertebrae cracked into place .

"I have to call the doctor."

He barked out a laugh, wiping the drying saliva from his cheeks, "Do that woman, and you'll be sorry."

She crawled to him but did not touch him.

"I-I was worried," she admitted.

"Were you, dear Anzu?" he said sarcastically, "You didn't want me to die? But I guess, after everything we've meant to each other…" He smirked at her and she felt any sympathy she had for the former spirit, dry up immediately.

"What would your prince say about this? Hmmm? Little Anzu getting fucked by his sworn enemy. How naughty. Inconceivable, really." He reached for a cigarette, and looked at her, daring to object to his poisonous habit. Anzu said nothing, watching in amazement as he blew the smoke out of his lungs like a sigh of relief.

"What flashbacks?"

He didn't say anything, rather he chuckled around the cigarette in his mouth.

"WHAT FLASHBACKS?"

His chuckle grew darker, shoulders moving up and down.

"Egypt? Ancient Egypt?" She stood up, holding the sheets against her, "You were a miscreant. You broke into people's tombs, stole their gold. You…you…you lived in a village of thieves that was destroyed. You had no mother and no father. You were born of hate and you died of hate, twisted with Zorc's intentions."

Bakura smirked, eyes sliding sideways to take in her form, "How poetic." His voice was dead.

"Get out," she snapped.

He surveyed her coolly, taking a drag from his cigarette, "I had no idea you knew so much about my life. What a clever little shit you are. It's a pity that the Pharaoh poisoned your mind."

Anzu was baffled.

"Do you even remember Egypt?"

"No."

"Then how do you know what your purpose is?"

"I feel it."

"The hate?"

Bakura looked straight ahead, and in that moment Anzu saw the thief for what he really was. She had never really thought of him as young or even human really but there he was. His skin was unmarked; youthful in appearance and stretched across his bones. When he relaxed his face, she could see the ghost of a boy under the hardened mask of torment and hate.

"You don't look to be more than 25."

"20," Bakura replied in a soft but dangerous voice, "Or 21. Or 3,000." He grinned at her- that terrible grin.

"How do you know?"

He merely stared at her.

"Just don't do that again," she spat out.

He stare became one of curiousity, as he finished the cigarette and put it out on a plate that lay beside her bed.

"Do you care what happens to me Anzu?" He crawled towards her and she sank back down on her knees, unable to move away as he drew closer. She trembled with anticipation, hate and confusion.

"Only a little," she breathed.

He brushed a hand across her face, sweeping the brown locks behind her ears. His fingers trailed down to her chin, grasping it in his hand and tilting it so he could look at the side of her neck. Angry red marks were beginning to blossom where his fangs had found sweet flesh to taste. His mouth watered at the memory. She twisted her chin from his grasp and glared at him.

"What pretty red marks you have there," his canines glistened in the light, "Something to remember me by." His words were dripping in sugar and poison- an intoxicating mixture.

"I don't want to ever see you again," she spat out. It was a weak lie but she couldn't give in that easily. Her soul was made of fire and steel.

He tsked, "You are lying. I can tell it when I kiss you." He ran a wicked tongue across his bottom lip.

Anzu felt her cheeks grow hot from embarrassment and she felt the words bubble in her throat before she let them tumble out.

"You act as if you feel nothing."

"I do feel nothing."

Anzu inched towards him so her lips hovered over his. A small smirk played on her pert, ruby mouth. She could hear his breath catch in his throat, but he did not move.

Slowly she pressed a kiss to his chin before drawing away. His eyes looked hazy. They had lost their edge of danger and she could see something waft across them- conflict?

Before she could inquire, he sprang up like a feline, stretched and made his way to the door. He said nothing and she didn't try to stop him.

She heard the door click and then very slowly, she reached out and took a cigarette from the pack he left behind. She lit it and breathed inhaled deeply, feeling the rush flood through her body.


End file.
